Kimkim Trip Reviews

Tran was very responsive with all our requests . We were met at the airport as soon as we landed . She planned all activities based on our interests . We were pleased with her excellent service . She kept us informed all through the trip, and kept in constant contact with local guides to make sure everything goes as planned . Overall we had a good time enjoying the food and history of Vietnam ( we only have 6 days total of Ho Chi Ming city and Hanoi ) .
Tran even made an effort to send us a second driver to pick 2 of us up ( we traveled as a group of 4) from the airport the next day due to visa issues . She was with us all the way via phone or chat so we did not feel deserted.
Tour guide in Ho Chi ming city was good and funny , he even shared his own family stories with us . The trip to Mekong delta was interesting, we were served a very local lunch !
The guide in Hanoi was just so so , he wasn’t too knowledgeable about Vietnam , we have to prompt him to get basic information, like population, life style of locals etc. his English was not well understood , but he tried his best though.
The hotels chosen were very nice and centrally located . We stayed at the Myst Dong Khoi at HCM , it is older style , bathroom amenities not quite convenient. Peridot grand hotel in Hanoi is quite upscale and clean , excellent amenities .
Also close to town .
Overall the trip was great and I would recommend Kim Kim .
Overall , we were impressed about the trio and thought our money was well spent .

Hotel Reviews

Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

Clean a with amenities. Restaurant served a variety of different food . Service excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradise Elegance Cruise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Myst Dong Khoi

Ho Chi Minh City

Centrally located . Hotel a bit old , the bathroom facilities need to be updated . The restaurant and the food was good though . Hotel staff were helpful and courteous.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta, Explore Ben Tre - Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

The boat ride was interesting . We learn quite a bit of its history .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City - Fly to Hanoi, Hanoi City Tour

Vietnam

We went in a local city tour of the markets and side streets, had a first hand experience of the local life

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Halong Bay, Overnight on Cruise

Vietnam

The boat was very nice and clean . Staff were fantastic. The sunset was beautiful, weather was perfect .

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They keep us informed of all itineraries and on board activities . Food was excellent!

Transport

Halong Bay - Hanoi

Vietnam

The sampan boat ride was nice and water was calm . You can kayak if you prefer .

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

kimkim is a gem! We booked with them for Norway last year and Buenos Aires and Patagonia this year. This will continue to be our go-to travel agency. The ability to customize a trip, remain as independent as desired, and receive reliable help with locals while traveling is priceless. From start to finish, they were professional, responsive, kind, and very knowledgeable.

With keen listening skills, Mery patiently developed a customized travel plan that met our unique desires and needs. Once booked, we had the support of Antonella, who continued to work out more specific details for the trip and actually book all of our hotels, excursions, and transfers.

During the trip, as questions or requests arose, Antonella and the customer service team responded quickly and made adaptations that really helped our family enjoy this trip. Our excursion guides were exceptional, and we would work with this company over and over again for our travels to this region! Well done and thanks for making it such a great trip!

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Nadia was our tour leader and Gaston was our driver. Nadia was engaging, kind, fun, and very knowledgeable. She gave information in both English and Spanish, and ensured everyone was prepared to enjoy such majestic experience. Thanks Nadia!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nautical Safari tour

El Calafate

Delightful to get up close to the glacier and witness it from another angle. Professional boat staff and the vessel was clean and well-maintained.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Buenos Aires Walking Tour (South)

Buenos Aires

Rocio took us on a wonderful urban adventure through Palermo, Centro Historico, San Telmo, and La Boca. She was fun, engaging, very knowledgeable, and made it a wonderful tour. We were grateful to use public transportation (subway and bus) for part of it to enhance the experience and feel the city like a local. Thanks Rocio!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Trekking Laguna Torre

El Chaltén

Lucas led us on a private group tour on the Laguna Torre trail. He was patient with our pace (we didn't make it to the end) and shared much of his vast knowledge about Patagonia. His passion for the environment and care for all its inhabitants was felt and appreciated. Thanks Lucas!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Working with KimKim is peace of mind - everything I’m always goes as planned- my favorite guide was Andre who walked us thru Porto markets and restaurants with some history and humor. I would recommend the walking food tour over the TukTuk tour in Lisboa- with the traffic and motorcycle noise we couldn’t hear our guide and you get so much more out of a walking tour. Always recommend the cooking class- liked our guide and the fact we learned new skills- I would take an evening class over lunch time and I think larger classes are more interesting . At the wine tasting we enjoyed unique wines and vermouths- that was unexpected - he was very personable and knowledgeable. Easy to understand and catered to his audience. Enjoyed all of our hotels- food at Bessa was amazing, service at all was outstanding. Editory hotel is a great central location- went to La Penada (spelling?) for dinner by the coast - owner was one to remember! Overall, the tours and classes are important and I would add more to my next visit to whatever country I visit next. Thank you Bea for always being there if we needed you and the gift left at my last nights stay says how much you appreciate your clients- Obrigada!!

Hotel Reviews

BessaHotel Liberdade

Lisboa

Great food, rooms are quiet, great location if using train stations or shopping. Breakfast was outstanding-

Authenticity & Character

Location

Was concerned it wasn’t by the water but enjoyed being in this area as we could still walk to all the neighborhoods and it was quieter in the evening when sleeping

Staff

Mauricio was very welcoming - always there to assist with taxi, questions etc

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Editory Garden Porto Hotel

Porto

Good location - especially if you like to visit the market- we didn’t get to make use of the beautiful patio due to weather - would stay there again in warmer weather!

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully decorated

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reserva FLH Hotels Ericeira

Ericeira

Rooms small but everything you need was there. drinking wine on the balcony with bread and cheese picked up around the corner made for a great moment. Couldn’t ask for a better location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MeraPrime Gold Design Hotel

Lisbon

Always feel the most warm welcome here- offered coffee, pastry when checking in, didn’t get breakfast due to early flight out but recall from last visit it was good

Authenticity & Character

It’s authentic and rooms were more luxurious than you might expect

Location

Location is right in the heart of historic area by water and square

Staff

They are soooo helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The halal run restaurant keeps that restaurant run like they owned it-

Activity Reviews

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

I think we missed a lot of what was said - our first trip we did a walking tour and got more out of it- the traffic noise and motorcycles are distracting and I felt we could still cover a lot of Lisbon in the same amount of time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class with Market Visit

Lisbon

I loved our cooking experience- the market was interesting. It was just the three of us- pros are you do more of the tasks involved with cooking the dishes. Cons were large classes are more lively and I would suggest evening over daytime- it’s a big meal and you can drink as you cook- rather have done this late in the day

Quality of Experience

Learning to filet fish and shuck oysters

Food

Liked the fish, dessert, and dinner bed the method off cooking the vegetables and the specific dish we learned to use for it

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was nice, skilled and we got him to open up and share some experiences

Transport

I don’t this applies to this event?

Introduction to Portuguese Wines

Porto

The shop chosen was beautiful and my daughter buys organic wines so it was appreciated how they support those. Guide was personable, he made it special and didn’t rush the experience- was entertaining as well as knowledgeable which makes for a good guide

Quality of Experience

Great guide! Didn’t expect to experience and learn about these whites- he added vermouths too

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked but we love to do that

Explore Porto's Culinary Scene and Bolhao Market

Porto

Loved this tour! Best guide of our week, Andre. You could tell he was a favorite of those who worked in the market too- funny, easy to understand. Knew how to work with his group, shared about himself and family make it more personalized. Lots of foid- you won’t leave this hungry or thirsty- comfortable pace

Quality of Experience

Tastings inside narket and that old restaurant in the alley that was similar to being in a cave with the sandwiches

Food

Lots of it paired with wine and goid choices

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Never lose Andre as a guide!

Transport

Walk was good pace and great length - saw some areas I might not have without having done this

Boat tour in Ericeira

Ericeira

Didn’t get to do this but will share some photos- loved this town! You can see most of it easily in 2 days -

Quality of Experience

Couldn’t get to end of survey unless I rated- so ignore ratings

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the exceptional travel experience you coordinated for our recent 9-day trip to Iceland.

From the moment we arrived, every detail was planned and executed, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the stunning sights and unique culture of Iceland. Your recommendations for last-minute options were great, and we truly appreciated the dinner suggestions that helped us make the most of our evenings.

Each site we visited was breathtaking, and your expertise shone through in the way everything was arranged. thank you for put a lot of thought into crafting an unforgettable journey for us.

Thank you, Summer, we will certainly recommend your services to friends and family looking to explore new destinations.

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

Did not look as picture. Bathroom/ shower was not great

Authenticity & Character

I’m

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vík Apartments

Vik I Myrdal

Great location and views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sky Lagoon

Reykjavík

One of our favorite excursions, truly memorable

Quality of Experience

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Breiðamerkurjökull Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

One of the best excursions of the entire trip. Truly, once in a lifetime

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip from start to finish. The itinerary was packed with a variety of of diverse landscapes. Planning from the States with Majid was effortless and he was most accommodating. Our driver Iziz was fantastic, he was informative, helpful, polite and respectful. I can’t say enough about how he made our experience so pleasant. We have never had a private driver before but after this it will not be our last.

A friend and I recently traveled to Australia and instead of doing the research and booking myself, I thought it would be nice to book through a travel agent instead. I honestly cannot recall the last time I have done so as I am a frequent, experienced traveler and enjoy the research process. While it saved me quite a bit of time to book through KimKim, I will go back to doing so myself. The trips the agent booked for us were quite lovely as we experienced excellent guides and saw the things we had wanted to see. Unfortunately, the accommodations were of a much lower quality than we typically book, with limited amenities on site, loud and chaotic environments, and, for the most part, sub par customer service. The travel agent and I had agreed on “moderate” hotels and that is certainly not what we experienced. All in all, a valuable lesson learned. I would advice travelers considering KimKim to be extremely thorough in discussing their definitions of varying accommodation levels.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ibis World Square

Sydney

Hotel Ibis World Square in Sydney had a great location, but unfortunately, it was situated right over a night club, which made it incredibly noisy until the early hours. This was not quite suitable for us as it affected our ability to rest. It was a bit disappointing given our expectations.

Outback Hotel & Lodge

Yulara

The Outback Hotel & Lodge in Uluru was rated as one of the lower options in the area, which didn't quite meet our expectations of a moderate accommodation. It was somewhat below what we imagined for this trip, considering the limited choices in Uluru.

Activity Review

Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch

Port Douglas

Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. We went out on a catamaran, and the experience was absolutely superb. The underwater sights were breathtaking, and it was an unforgettable adventure. Five stars for this phenomenal experience!

The hotel was super comfortable, the SPA amazing, the staff super courteous especially my Butler!
My guide Tandin Dorji was super knowledgeable and courteous and I had the best driver, safe and present Tashi Dorji.
It was my first trip to Bhutan and I am already planning to being back!

Hotel Review

Uma Paro

Paro

My Home away from Home!

Authenticity & Character

Bhutanese!

Location

peaceful and quiet

Staff

Especially my Super Butler!

Cleanliness & Comfort

My Villa was simply amazing!

Activity Review

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

À must visit! The hike is demanding but so much rewarding!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This itinerary and trip was perfect from start to finish! We met our son and DIL there and all traveled together throughout the North and South Islands for almost 3 weeks. Liz was responsiveness so helpful and put together an itinerary that was perfect for all of us! Excellent tours/excursions, fantastic accommodations, and wonderful private transfers enabled us to see and experiemce all of the major sights of the North and South Islands! The attention to detail provided was amazing! We cannot thank Liz and her team and KimKim enough for planning this wonderful trip for us!

Everyone was so professional and reliable and the itinerary was perfect.

Hotel Review

Pu Luông Natura Bungalows

Stunning setting and spacious rooms and great food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanoi Culture & Walking Tour with Water Puppet Show

Hanoi

Guide was super knowledgeable and the water puppet show was fascinating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a very creative, supportive and intelligent dialog with Mint Pham, who was responsible for our vacation schedule. Mint was responsive, intelligent, and supported us with extra effort at every turn, and handled every problem that we presented, some of which were completely outside the normal scope. Her selection of hotels was especially important, and she picked great hotels with great services and locations. This was key to the entire trip, which turned out to be so successful because of the location, sophistication and high-end characteristics of each hotel. The excursions were for the most part great. This was total support and exceptional advice and planning. I would give Mint a 5.0 rating on a scale of 5, and recommend her services to anyone traveling in Southeast Asia.
Mint organized our trip which included Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui. We really enjoyed ourselves, saw a lot and were sorry to go. The Thai people were so friendly and supportive.

Hotel Reviews

The Quarter Hua Lamphong by UHG

Bangkok

The Quarter Hua Lamphong by UHG in Bangkok was a fantastic hotel. The location was great, the staff were very nice and accommodating, and the building itself was incredibly well-constructed, which we found out when an earthquake occurred during our stay.

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

The De Charme Hotel in Chiang Mai was in a fabulous location, right in the middle of town. It was a lovely place with very accommodating staff, and offered a good breakfast. The hotel's central location made exploring the city convenient.

Baan Samui Resort

Surat Thani

Baan Samui Resort in Ko Samui was ideal, being right on a lovely part of the beach. The staff were very nice, the breakfast was great, and the location was close to a main street filled with bars, restaurants, and a nice shopping center. It provided a complete beachside experience, with drinks and food service. I wish we could have taken even more advantage of its beachfront location.

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care!

Chiang Mai

Half-Day Eco Elephant Care in Chiang Mai was a great experience. The elephants are treated with much respect and care, regarded as family members by the people who take care of them. Participating in feeding them and observing their behaviors was both entertaining and affecting. Despite feeling like a bit like a set-up for tourists, it was definitely a wonderful experience, seeing elephants happy and well-cared for.

A Day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park!

Chiang Mai

The day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park was interesting and worthwhile. The area was stunning, with the tallest mountain in Thailand and beautifully built pagodas. The air quality was not great due to field burning, impacting the views. Nevertheless, the excursion was good, and the guided tour through boardwalks in the forest was a nice touch.

Angtong National Marine Park

Thailand

The Angtong National Marine Park excursion, which included snorkeling, was somewhat underwhelming. The snorkeling site was decent but overcrowded with too many boats and people. Being an experienced snorkeler, I felt the site itself wasn’t exceptional, and the long travel time to get there didn’t seem worth it. The tour had potential but could benefit from a less crowded experience.

Our family had an outstanding 12 day trip to Spain. The experience booking the trip through Kimkim was great, and exceeded our expectations in just about every way. Their local knowledge and availability throughout the trip eliminated the stress and work of planning a vacation, and made it easy for us to enjoy our time together.

Our local specialist, Adam, was knowledgeable and accessible and did good work tailoring our experiences to our preferences and making our itinerary teen friendly. Matching our itinerary to friends traveling on different but overlapping schedule was seamless. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been to coordinate everything on our own.

Our operations specialist, Lea, was very responsive during our trip and usually responded to chats within just a few minutes. She helped with a number of small issues and questions over the 21 days. A mistake with a hotel booking at one of our stops was immediately handled and addressed in the most professional way. Lea is a gem!

A highlight of the trip were the private walking tours scheduled at each stop. Adam set us up with personable and knowledgeable guides that each gave us an experience that would have been impossible if we'd joined a larger group. Ona was our guide in Girona, and we really liked her relaxed and approachable style. Our teens really had a good time with her, and learned a ton about the history of this ancient city.

In Barcelona, our guide showed us around the Gothic Quarter and made us feel like locals. She was clearly well liked by the restaurateurs at the stops we made for tapas along the way, and we felt like we were catching up with an old friend more than rushing from stop to stop on a planned tour.

Ruth, our guide to Alhambra in Granada, did a fantastic job showing us around the grounds and helping us skirt around the crowds. We felt like we were getting some of the smaller historical details that the larger groups don't hear about, which was a lot of fun.

The hotel and airport transfers made moving between our stops much easier with our luggage. Large, clean Mercedes vans were comfortable and the drivers were professional.

Each of the hotel selections were perfectly located and within walking distance of all of the main sites we wanted to experience.

We will definitely be using Kimkim to book trips in the future, and would recommend it without reservation to any of our friends!

The transportation that they scheduled was very dependable. The guides for the activities were friendly and knowledgeable. The lodging was unique and in good locations. Everything went extremely smooth. Very impressed would definitely use KimKim (Rutopia) again.

Hotel Reviews

Piedra Escondida

Tulum, Quintana Roo

Worked great for our family of four with kids 12 and 15. Beautiful ocean view rooms. The connected restaurant was one of the best we ate at the whole trip. Bar is relaxing with ocean views also. Seems like you are on a remote island yet amenities are very close by.

Authenticity & Character

One of a kind, loved the private beach and the restaurant and bar on site.

Location

Feels isolated and private yet is right next to amenities.

Staff

Very friendly and available

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not brand new, but I don't need that. Clean comfortable and relaxing.

Hotel Posada San Juan

Valladolid

Motel is absolutely beautiful. The rooms are just gorgeous with large semi-private open air lounging areas outside the rooms. Pool that I think only we used. Not many guests, so a lot of the time it felt like you have the whole place to yourself. Bar on site next to the refreshing pool. Located in a convenient area with their own bar and restaurant across the street and in walking distance to major sites of the city, restaurants, bars, and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful authentic rooms with wildlife if you pay attention and next to a plaza that the friendly locals frequent.

Location

Very convenient for seeing the sights and amenities.

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful kids loved the friendly well behaved "guard" dog.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very new feeling but feels like it has been there a hundred years. Bathrooms are large, airy, and relaxing.

Playa Palms Beach Hotel

Nice rooms, balconies with great views of the ocean. Private pool that never felt crowded as there really aren't that many guests. Great breakfasts delivered to your door when you want. No bar or restaurant on site, but if you are on the beach bar tenders come over and deliver you drinks. Massage therapy people come by too. Plus you are only a few blocks from the happening 5th Avenue with its bars, restaurants, live music, and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Interesting looking layout with the balconies and pool. Has its own small beach. Relaxed as there aren't many guests.

Location

Right on the beach you can book snorkeling and fishing tours that leave from a block away. Unfortunately, ours got cancelled due to high winds, but we were quickly refunded. The boats for these are right in front of the hotel.

Staff

Friendly. There is someone there that can book tours for you.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was nice and clean with refrigerator, microwave, dishes, sink, cooktop, and TV

Activity Reviews

Snorkel with sea turtles in Akumal

Mexico

Quite a few people there, but they are pretty spread out, so not crowded in the water. Definitely, saw numerous turtles very close up. It was really cool. It is shallow in case you fear open water.

Quality of Experience

Get to see sea turtles up close

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was friendly and patient

Transport

On time and waited for us.

The Ancient Canal Experience in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (morning)

Tulum

The boat ride, especially through the canal area was super fun plus you see a lot of fish and birds. Floating down the canal is super relaxing and a unique experience. My oldest kid could do it every day of his life. You see Mayan ruins here and there. We saw manatees, which was amazing, interesting fish close up, ospreys, herons it is just a beautiful place. Kids loved it 10 out of 10 until my 12 year old lost his cell phone on an island we went to. It was all his fault, but the guides tried their best to find it in multiple ways and worked hard to console him. So any negatives to the trip was just our family being us. Awesome trip.

Quality of Experience

Manatees! floating the Mayan canal.

Food

Authentic food at the beginning and end.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The boat drivers are simply amazing our guide was very knowledgeable and patient.

Transport

On time.

Visit to Lol Ha cenote in Yaxunah

Mexico

Beautiful. Water was so refreshing after being crazy hot at Chichen Itza. Saw Mot Mots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the Maya World

Mexico

The main pyramid is absolutely astonishing! The whole place is amazing. There are a ton of people though. It is also very exposed and hot.

Quality of Experience

It is one of the 7 wonders of the world, enough said.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was super knowledgeable, easy to understand, friendly, and patient.

Transport

On time. Glad we had a private driver that dropped us off up front. Parking a half mile away and walking could make it not as fun.

Ek Balam Archaeological Site & swim in a cenote

Mexico

Much more mellow and less crowded than Chichen Itza. It is quite a bit different. You can climb the pyramids if you want. Much more shade than Chichen Itza too, which made it more relaxed.

Quality of Experience

Just a nice relaxed grounds with amazing structures and carvings/reliefs

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was on time, friendly, and very knowledgeable.

Transport

Reliable and on time.

Explore Coba by bike!

Cobá

Awesome experience! We almost cancelled this because my family was kind of burnt out from Chichen Itza and Ek Balaam the days before. Worried the bike ride might be hot and miserable. Instead the bike ride was super fun, honestly the bike ride was probably the best I have ever been on and that is saying something. It is flat and shady and not very far. The ruins are different from the other two. Very laid back here compared to Chichen Itza. Very fun!

Quality of Experience

Biking through the ruins was fun and amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable, friendly, multilinqual

Transport

On time and waited for us.

Río Secreto Privilege: The Mayan Underworld

Mexico

Very unique place. A very cool experience.

Quality of Experience

Very unique.

Food

Buffet with some really good native cuisine

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable, drive was fun.

Transport

On time.

Terrific trip! The people at Serendipity Adventures (Bryan, Nancy, and Wilman) were very attentive local specialists who provided good guidance. Wilman was very responsive about everything while we were in Costa Rica, including making last minute changes we requested to our excursions and communicating with the drivers. Alex was an outstanding guide and driver, very knowledgeable and friendly. We loved our guided hanging bridges hike with Mariano and he was very generous to take us around town afterward when we had downtime before our next excursion. We enjoyed the cacao and coffee tour with Alex. Jorge was a great safari float guide—we got to see many animals! Andres was an extremely knowledgeable guide of the Manual Antonio national park.

The setting of Arenal Lodge was beautiful. Be sure to inform guests ahead of time that it is located very far outside of town. La Mariposa hotel is beautiful and well situated with walking acesss to restaurants and shops and a stunning view of the ocean.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arenal Lodge

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Very crowded!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire team at Grand Cuvée Tours was exceptional. They gave me options, made recommendations, proactively communicated important information (including reminding me about the time change occurring during my trip), and checked in with me periodically during my trip.

The drivers were all professional and the hotels, train tickets, and other included activities were all arranged with clear instructions. I can't say enough about my guide, Lenka. Lenka was a wealth of knowledge when it came to the history of the country, its regions, its cities, and even its legends. She went above and beyond to take my preferences into account and make changes as needed. She truly felt like a friend and even brought me water and new Czech snacks to try each day! I wish everyone could have her as a guide!

I'm so glad that I didn't just see Prague. Prague is, of course, incredible, but getting to visit Brno, Cesky Krumlov, and Karlovy Vary gave me the opportunity to experience other parts of the country. Each city offered postcard views and I can only imagine the beauty in the other seasons.

Hotel Review

Hotel CUBE Prague

Prague

Excellent service at the front desk and breakfast was extensive and delicious. The rooms are modern, comfortable, and very clean. They provide unlimited still and sparkling water, which is a lovely touch.

Location

There are plenty of places to get food nearby and it was quiet at night.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Nuclear Bunker tour

Prague

I was not very familiar with the history of communism in the Czech Republic and learned so much from this tour. The guide was very enthusiastic and happy to answer any questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was nice to get to ride the tram without having to figure out all of the details myself!

Bohemian vineyards with wine tasting & culinary tour

Prague

It was amazing to get a personal tour of a winery and the vineyards. The meal with wine pairings at the restaurant in the cellars in Litoměřice was absolutely perfect and the tour of the cellars was so interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lenka translated at the restaurant and in the cellars - much appreciated!

Transport

Guided tour of Prague

Prague

Lenka gave me an incredible overview of the city! She drove us past some points and we stopped and explored the ones I was most interested in. I truly appreciate that it wasn't cookie cutter, but was tailored to my interests and my plans for the rest of my stay in the city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Prague Food Tour

Prague

I enjoyed that we had options at each stop. Everything we ate was delicious, and it was great to see the city at night. I usually don't do much at night since I travel alone, so I really appreciated this aspect. Our guide was wonderful and gave personal recommendations and insights into what it's like to live in the Czech Republic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very personable guide - we all felt like friends very quickly!

Karla was very responsive to our questions and needs. The excursions and especially snorkeling was amazing. All guides were wonderful and Isabella and specifically Julio were wonderful. Very educational and provided the info we needed to be on time for every thing and on what to wear. I loved Los tunélles snorkeling the best as we liked seeing the penguins.

Hotel Review

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Loved having a view of the beach where we could watch the sea lions investigating the beach

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

My favorite with such a variety of wildlife…including penguins!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time! The trip was for my mom’s 65th birthday and everything was perfectly planned. I have been to over 50 countries and by far this was one of the most amazing places I have visited with the nicest people. I loved that I did not need to plan anything and Michael planned everything. My mom and children had a great time.

We had an amazing trip to Greece arranged by Siena. We have two kids who are both very interested in Greek Mythology, and the kimkim team set us up with a terrific itinerary, seeing the most interesting sites in Athens, Delphi, Olympia and Nafplio. Every day was amazing, but highlights of our favorite activities include the Mythical Pan cave hike near Delphi/Arachova with Hellas Trekking, the guided tour of Olympia with former archaeologist Zoe, the fun Percy Jackson themed adventure around Athens (the views from the Hill of the Nymphs were awesome), and the amazing team of drivers helping with all transfers. We had one thing come up in the middle of the trip, where we realized that the annual Tour of Hellas (bike race) was going to be right in the path. We linked up with our specialist and driver, and the day ended up being slightly different than planned, but an absolute blast (we had to leave the highway for an hour while the race went by, but it allowed us to tour the delightful town of Galaxidi, buy some local products, and even watch the race go by and cheer them on). The drivers were flexible and attentive to our needs throughout. We were so grateful to have the same driver for the last 3 days of our trip. He was so helpful, and he got to know us and our kids and pointed out things he thought we would find interesting as we drove. It was very helpful to be able to leave our bags in his van while we toured museums and sites each day as we moved from one hotel to another. The kimkim team helped arrange specific activities that fit with our children's interests and picked family friendly tours and guides, and that really made all the difference for our whole family. Lastly, our daughter had a birthday while on the trip, and the kimkim team arranged for a cake and balloons to be in one of our hotel rooms - so sweet and it gave her a huge smile. Grateful for a wonderful trip.

Hotel Reviews

MET34 Athens

Athina

Great location. Noisy, busy part of town, windows didn't block the outside sound well. Breakfast brought to room by staff. Clean, plenty of space for us, nice kitchenette.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kastalia Boutique Hotel Delphi

Delphi

Very nice hotel, great location, great restaurant. We had a room on the village side/main street which was quite loud especially at night (gelato place and many restaurants across the street). Other side of hotel had view of beautiful valley, likely would have been quieter and prettier (but more expensive), but would try to stay on that side if ever there again. attentive and kind staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ionion Beach Apartment Hotel Olympia

Pineios

Great location on beach, wish we had more time there. Nice playground for kids, great food at restaurant. Nice apartment style rooms with nice kitchen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nafsimedon Hotel Nafplio

Nafplio

Nice hotel with nice staff. Loft-style rooms with two single beds in loft and the other on main level. Quiet which was nice. Located only two blocks from the steps up to Palamidi which was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

Hotel of necessity by airport. :-) Rooms were clean and quiet, beds were comfortable. WIndows had great blackout options. Even though we had to leave earlier than breakfast was served, the staff made us breakfast boxes which were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Percy Jackson-Inspired Hero’s Adventure in Athens

Athens

Great tour, the guide made it fun and exciting for our kids. Great walk around town, loved the sites we visited.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Percy Jackson-Inspired Acropolis & Museum Experience

Athens

Great tour of acropolis and museum. It wasn't very Percy Jackson-inspired, but nonetheless was informative and a nice guide. We learned so much more with a guide on the Acropolis than we otherwise would have. Was very nice that she already had our tickets for us, as the lines and process to get into the Acropolis was a mess.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Sounio & Temple of Poseidon Day Trip

Athens

Great tour that covered a lot - Temple of Zeus, Olympic stadium, the Athens Riviera, down to Sounio and back. Temple of Poseidon was beautiful and the coastline drive was great. Great lunch at a taverna on the way back. Very kind driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Corycian Cave Hike

Delphi

One of best experiences of the trip. Great hike, great guide. Loved the cave. Highly, highly recommend to families.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family-Friendly Trip to Epidaurus

Nafplio

Great tour, the drama games were a lot of fun and taught us about the development of Greek theater and performance. Wish we had a little more time in the theater itself/archaeological site, as it ended up being a bit rushed in the end. Otherwise great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Ancient Olympia Visit

Greece

Another great tour! Zoe was an incredible guide. She made the whole site light up for us. You could tell she knew a ton about the site and Greek history. She really knew how to tell a story through the tour and helped us learn a lot in the process. She also took us through the museum and we learned so much more from that museum than we would have on our own. AMAZING day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 9-day family vacation in Morocco exceeded our expectations. Our main guide and driver, Tarik, was exceptionally accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. Our experience was tailored to exactly what we needed- 3 days of moderate hiking in the Atlas mountains, with highlights in Marrakesh, Fes and Chefchaouen. Local guides in Imlil, Fes, Marrakesh and Volubilis brought so much to maximize our experience. Our accommodations were charming and comfortable, and the provided meals were great. There's nothing we would change, but to be able to spend more time in Morocco.

Activity Review

Imlil Valley Walk - Toubkal NP

Imlil

Our local guide, Aziz, was friendly and helpful and made our experience just wonderful. This walk between Berber villages was a highlight of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We felt great in the planning process and leading up to our arrival.

1) However, our experience was different. We did not feel like you appreciated or respected our time. Specifically: you had us cross Cebu island TWICE. Moalboal should have happened first and then Oslob for whale sharks should have happened on the FIRST leg and would have put us close to ferry point to go to Siquijor. Instead we spent multiple days sitting in a car going from one place to the next. We trust YOU to guide us on the logistics. Do you think sitting in a car is a fun way to enjoy your vacation? Another example: returning to Dumaguete from Siquijor instead of staying on Siquijor island - especially since our hotel was not close to anything.

2) We wish you had given us all the available options for transportation. For example, we would have paid what it cost for business class on OceanJet business in order to be able to go outside. Additionally, we spent 3 hours on a ferry on one leg to Siquijor when our return was 40 mins - so there was a faster option versus sitting on a slow moving boat.

3) Ethical business partners: for the scuba diving trip, the guide that took Nick repeatedly touched and damaged coral reef.

4) Guides: our guides were very friendly and very nice and professional. However, they had very limited ability to communicate and very limited ability to share local knowledge and culture. We were dropped off at places with little information. Additionally, we didn't have much, if any opportunity to learn on the long car rides.

5) We appreciated responsiveness from travel agent on the ground, but the change in start times on multiple dates was frustrating.

While hotel locations were not great, the hotels themselves were clean and good value.

Hotel Reviews

Harold’s Evotel

Cebu

Clean rooms, friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lighthouse Point Hotel

Dumaguete

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Henann Tawala Resort

Tawala

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Moalboal Tropics

Moalboal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whale Sharks and Kawasan Falls

Philippines

Loved the canyoneering experience. However, we didn't get to Oslob (because of the driving route being so long) to see whale sharks which is reason for overall review.

Quality of Experience

This is only for the canyoneering experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent and very helpful staff on canyoneering experience

Transport

Siquijor Island Tour & Cambugahay Falls from Dumaguete City

Dumaguete

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bohol Country Side Tour

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nice friendly staff, but wasn't able to share any information about places we visited or about the area and culture.

Transport

Bohol / Panglao: Island Hopping and Dolphin Watching Tour

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nice friendly staff, but didn't stop at one of the islands on the agenda and then was not helpful with snorkeling - kind of just gave us the gear and told us to go while they waited.

Transport

Moalboal Snorkeling Activities

Moalboal

Fabulous instruction, very good equipment. One of our 3 guides repeatedly touched coral, thereby damaging it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year, and we wanted to take a two week trip to Japan at Cherry Blossom time. Our adult daughter was going to join us. We worked with Angel to arrange the perfect trip. Angel was amazing. Everything was seamless. The hotels were excellent as were all of the local guides that she arranged. Transportation on bullet trains in Japan was totally arranged by Angel and everything was flawless. During the trip, we made a last minute change of plans, and Angel was extremely helpful during the process. During the trip Angel checked in on us every day. While we made many of dinner reservations; some were difficult to obtain. Angel made those reservations for us. Our two week trip to Japan was amazing as we saw exactly what we wanted to see-temples, shrines, gardens, cherry blossoms. The personal tea ceremony that Angel arranged was fascinating. If you are planning a trip to Japan, Angel is the person that you want to help you plan it. We could not have been happier. This is the 5th time that we have used Kim Kim for international travel, and we will continue to use them. But Angel was the best. Thank you Angel.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Roppongi Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

This hotel was situated in the Roppongi area of Tokyo and was first rate. We stayed there three nights; the breakfasts were fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel was located within walking distance of three dinner reservations that we had made.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric Kanazawa

This hotel was located a few meters away from the train station. It was convenient for travel. Hotel was very nice; and breakfasts were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

we stayed four nights at this hotel. Cherry blossoms were just around the corner from the hotel. We could walk to the central part of Kyoto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just an awesome hotel.

The Westin Osaka

Osaka

We only stayed here one night, but it was perfect. The Westin is a Marriott property, and we are lifetime platinum Marriott members. We enjoy staying at Westins, and this property met our expectations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

Our plans changed, and we did not stay at this hotel.

Activity Reviews

Tokyo City Tour: Imperial Palace East Gardens, Senso-ji Tour & Meiji Shrine

Tokyo

The site seeeing was excellent in Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Ashinoko Tour with Mt. Fuji Views

Japan

We knew that it might be difficult to view Mt Fuji. it was a rainy day, and we could not see Mt Fuji, and it was fun taking the Hakone Ropeway and the boat ride on the Lake,

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Chicken Hot Pot and a Photo

Tokyo

This was an unsual experience and one that we recommend to anyone visiting Japan for the first time.

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

We know that many Western tourists do not travel to Kanazawa, but we wanted to go there, and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Kyoto is an unbelievable city and should not be missed. The temples and shrines were wonderful, and our guide who was with us for two days was everything that we could have hoped for.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion Corner: Traditional Arts Performance

Kyoto

This was a 50 minute show and was extremely entertaining

Quality of Experience

Full Day Tour to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Kyoto

This was the second day with our Kyoto guide. Again, just a marvelous experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Afternoon Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

This experience was just for us and our adult daughter. It lasted almost two hours and was fascinating. We are still talking about this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Osaka Castle and Shinsaibashi Tour

Osaka

We always wanted to see Osaka Castle and it did not disappoint. The foodie walking tour was a fun diversion from some of the more formal dinners that we had in Japan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at dark

Osaka

This was fun after having had so many formal dinners.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport