Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 19,068 ratings
Read 19,068 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Agent did an amazing job booking a tour exact...
Iceland | Jun 16 - Jun 19, 2022

R
Robert P.
Austin, TX | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022

Agent did an amazing job booking a tour exactly how we wanted it. Everything went off without a hitch and it was an unforgettable experience that I will always cherish! I would highly recommend Emanuela

Local specialist: Emanuela Grieco

Southern Spain and Madrid
Spain | Jun 4 - Jun 13, 2022

Mindy
Mindy B.
New Orleans, LA | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Our trip to Spain was amazing! Our hotels were lovely. The travel within Spain was convenient and efficient. We loved all of our guided tours and activities. The absolute highlights of our trip were:
1. Private tour of Cordoba with our tour guide Guido. Guido was so knowledgeable, well mannered, and kind. We felt as if he really listened to what we were interested in, and adjusted his tour accordingly. We loved the Mosque Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter and synogogue. He recommended a great...
Read more

Our trip to Spain was amazing! Our hotels were lovely. The travel within Spain was convenient and efficient. We loved all of our guided tours and activities. The absolute highlights of our trip were:
1. Private tour of Cordoba with our tour guide Guido. Guido was so knowledgeable, well mannered, and kind. We felt as if he really listened to what we were interested in, and adjusted his tour accordingly. We loved the Mosque Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter and synogogue. He recommended a great Moroccan restaurant.
2. Private tour of Ronda with Manuel. Manuel was also very knowledgeable and really fun. He gave us the right balance of guided tour and free time. We loved the Natural Park Sierra de Grazalema and Ronda.
3. Tour of Caminito del Rey. This hike was amazing. It was challenging enough (but not too hard) and the views were spectacular.
4. La Alhambra is a must-see. Absolutely breathtaking!
5. We loved the e-bike tour in Madrid. It was really fun, and a great way to see the city.
6. We really enjoyed our museum day - the Reina Sofia and the Prado.
7. Our wine and tapas tour in Malasana was amazing! Amy was a great guide who curated the food and drink of the area perfectly. The 3+ hours went by so quickly. She was fantastic.
The only negative was the written materials we were given. There were a lot of inaccuracies in our itinerary (times, activities, items included, pick-up and drop-off points), and many of the recommendations were outdated (several restaurants were no longer in business, hours listed for sites and businesses were incorrect). That was disappointing and not what we've come to expect from kim kim vacations.

Hotel Reviews
Eurostars Hotel Plaza Mayor
Madrid

Very nice and clean hotel with a friendly staff. It is located in a high-traffic, tourist neighborhood and maybe we would have preferred staying somewhere in Madrid with more character.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Palacio de Santa Inés
Granada

Friendly staff. Well located. Charming, but a little older and less amenities than the other hotels on our itinerary.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Our shower was broken, but they fixed it right away.
H10 Casa de la Plata
Sevilla

Lovely, well located hotel. Helpful staff. Great breakfast.

Tips for future travelers

There is a pool. Bring a bathing suit.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Airport transfer (return)
Spain

Our driver was on time and very efficient.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tapas in Malasaña
Tapas in Malasaña
Madrid

This tour was one of our favorite things about our trip. It was absolutely the best food we ate the whole time we were in Spain. Our tour guide Amy was so lovely, knowledgeable, and personable. She curated a beautifully diverse menu and drink selection. Absolutely top notch!

Quality of Experience
Food
Our tour guide Amy was spectacular!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tickets for museums & monuments
Tickets for museums & monuments
Madrid

The timed tickets were helpful. A private guide was recommended, and we declined. Once there we felt validated in that decision because a private guide was not necessary.

Quality of Experience
Day Trip to Toledo
Day Trip to Toledo
Madrid

Not applicable. This activity was eliminated from our itinerary. We would have loved to do it, but we ran out of time.

Essential Madrid bike tour
Essential Madrid bike tour
Madrid

This tour was so much fun! A great way to see the city!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alhambra Tour
Alhambra Tour
Granada

The Alhambra is a must see! This was a great day!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Sacromonte and Albayzin tour
Sacromonte and Albayzin tour
Granada

This was a very interesting way to see the city on our first night. The guide was very nice.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Caminito del Rey
Caminito del Rey
Seville

This hike was one of the best activities we did on the whole trip. Beautiful views, challenging hike, and knowledgable and fun tour guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The bus was very comfortable.
Day tour: Ronda & White villages
Day tour: Ronda & White villages
Spain

This tour was a highlight. We loved our guide Manuel.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day tour to Córdoba
Day tour to Córdoba
Seville

This tour was a highlight. We loved our guide Guido.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tapas & Flamenco night
Tapas & Flamenco night
Seville

It was not clear from our itinerary, but this was the same thing as the walking tour. It was listed as two things, but it was really one and the same.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Off-the-beaten-path City Tour
Off-the-beaten-path City Tour
Seville

This was a lovely introduction to Seville on our first night.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Luis Fernandez de Vega
Luis
Luis Fernandez de Vega
Local specialist in Gijón, Asturias, Spain | Replied on Jun 21, 2022
Dear Mindy, Thank you for taking the time to send such a complete review. It is very important to me because it helps me improve my service and way of proceeding. I’m glad to read you enjoyed each of the tours I arranged for you. Believe it or not it took me more than 2 years to select the right tour guides and companies in each of the areas of Spain to offer more than tours, experiences that offer more than a guided explanation of the cities. Regarding the travel book, I can just... Read more

Dear Mindy,

Thank you for taking the time to send such a complete review. It is very important to me because it helps me improve my service and way of proceeding.

I’m glad to read you enjoyed each of the tours I arranged for you. Believe it or not it took me more than 2 years to select the right tour guides and companies in each of the areas of Spain to offer more than tours, experiences that offer more than a guided explanation of the cities.

Regarding the travel book, I can just apologize and say I try to improve every day and have noted each of the erratum in it. People traveling with me usually uses it as a guide, not as a bible, and they all do well. Luckily none of the errata resulted in a wrong meeting points or wrong schedules or you would have missed the tours. Luckily all that was well arranged since you didn’t miss anything. I understand it is disappointing not to find the recommended restaurant in my travel book open because of bankruptcy due to covid and I need to update that information. Still, I think being so unlucky for 3 errata in a 152 pages document is a bit unfair. It also has lots of information about the area and cities you visit, maps, tips and so on and I think all that was useful. Just to point out the positive points of the travel book, not just the bad ones.

Please trust I’ll be learning from this and will try to make this travel book a better document (though actually I’m preparing an e-guide that will make this other one disappear) for the next travelers. I really hope you enjoyed my presents along the trip, my continuous follow up and the ability to solve anything within minutes. Hopefully you can value that as well and if you think in a future trip to Spain or Portugal you can keep me in mind. I’ll love to read from you every some time so please, keep in touch.

My best wishes for a great 2022 ahead!

Luis

Nadia planned the perfect trip to Greece for ...
Greece | May 27 - May 31, 2022

Angela
Angela K.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Nadia planned the perfect trip to Greece for us. Upon arrival to Greece we received a lovely welcome package with some local treats that were all delicious. The housing accommodations were right in the middle of all the action which allowed us to experience the city as locals as opposed to tourists which we loved. The drivers were punctual and nice to talk to. Athens and Santorini now have a special place in our hearts and we cannot wait to visit the other islands. Read more

Nadia planned the perfect trip to Greece for us. Upon arrival to Greece we received a lovely welcome package with some local treats that were all delicious. The housing accommodations were right in the middle of all the action which allowed us to experience the city as locals as opposed to tourists which we loved. The drivers were punctual and nice to talk to.

Athens and Santorini now have a special place in our hearts and we cannot wait to visit the other islands.

Hotel Reviews
Live in Athens, Psyrri Central Apartments
Athina

If you ate between the ages of 18-30 and love to go out, drink and meet new people, you NEED to stay at this place. It's located on a street with loads of restaurants and the atmosphere at night is a just splendid

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Makarios
Kamari, Santorini

Lovely place. A bit far from the action (about 2min drive from 'downtown ') but close to the beach and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Platinum Morning Caldera Cruise
Platinum Morning Caldera Cruise
Santorini
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Restaurant Suggestions in Santorini
Restaurant Suggestions in Santorini
Santorini
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Santorini
Welcome to Santorini
Santorini

❤️❤️❤️

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Athens!
Welcome to Athens!
Athens
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Restaurants in Athens
Restaurants in Athens
Athens
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Nadia Pithara
Nadia
Nadia Pithara
Local specialist in Athens | Replied on Jul 22, 2022

Dear Angela,

Thank you very much for your review!

I am so very glad you had an amazing time while in Greece! Greece is a destination one can explore endlessly over and over again, and I am looking forward to hosting you in the future!

Next time you may visit the Ionian islands :)

All the best,
Nadia

Perfect Vacation in Greece thanks to Angela & KimKim
Greece | Jun 6 - Jun 17, 2022

Logan
Logan K.
Forney, TX | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Our trip was absolutely amazing thanks to Angela, we were able to experience a variety of activities, check off our bucket list items, and make changes to the tip when needed. Some of our favorite activities:
-Athens Mythology tour, our tour guide was Denai (I may have spelled that wrong) and she was INCREDIBLE! There was not a question she couldn't answer, the tour was at a great pace and 10/10 would do it again.
-Sarakiniko in the morning - Love that we were able to add this in, the...
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Our trip was absolutely amazing thanks to Angela, we were able to experience a variety of activities, check off our bucket list items, and make changes to the tip when needed.

Some of our favorite activities:
-Athens Mythology tour, our tour guide was Denai (I may have spelled that wrong) and she was INCREDIBLE! There was not a question she couldn't answer, the tour was at a great pace and 10/10 would do it again.
-Sarakiniko in the morning - Love that we were able to add this in, the 1.5 hours in the morning was perfect, no crowds, it wasn't too hot, and gave us just the right amount of time to explore, jump, and take pictures
-Milos sailing tour, even with the stop changes we had a lot of fun and we loved the group we were with :D
-The Milos food tour was also fantastic with Giannis and gave us so much insight into the island. ----The Santorini kayak tour was also amazing
-All time classic Santorini tour with Katie (Katy?) was so informative, and we have told everyone about Akatori.

Our 2 least favorite activities honestly have nothing to do with the activity, and more of just our over commitment took away from the experience:
Athens food tour, the tour was great but after the 5 hour walking tour that morning, another 5 hour walking tour a few hours later probably wasn't our best idea (But once again this was on us, the tour was great, we were just a little too tired to enjoy it fully)
Santorini catamaran sunset tour - It was great, but I think we would have enjoyed some more time in Fira or Oia, instead of being on the boat. If we hadn't also done the Kayak tour I think we would have enjoyed this more but we loved the kayak tour more than this one.

Milos was definitely our favorite island and experience as a whole, everywhere we went on the island was a great time from laid back Pollonia, picturesque Plaka, the historic catacombs & theatre, to the variety of beaches, we already want to go back.

All of our hotels & car services were wonderful and made the trip run so smoothly. We will definitely recommend KimKim to all of our friends and family!

Hotel Review
Mirabeli Apartments & Suites
Milos

Mirabeli was the perfect place to stay in Milos, walking distance to all of Pollonia, clean facilities, and Vassilis will truly make you feel like family.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Angela (Aggeliki) Giannioti
Angela (Aggeliki)
Angela (Aggeliki) Giannioti
Local specialist in Greece | Replied on Jun 21, 2022
Hey Logan! Thank you so much for your feedback, I truly appreciate it. :) I am really, really happy that you had a great time here in Greece. You indeed had lots of tours and probably got tired at some point but look at the bright side - you saw soooo many things in each location! I know Milos was your highlight (obviously after leaving Paros to get back there :P )! I am truly glad that you enjoyed the tours, hotels, and transfer services.
I would love to see you back in my country...
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Hey Logan!

Thank you so much for your feedback, I truly appreciate it. :)

I am really, really happy that you had a great time here in Greece.

You indeed had lots of tours and probably got tired at some point but look at the bright side - you saw soooo many things in each location! I know Milos was your highlight (obviously after leaving Paros to get back there :P )!

I am truly glad that you enjoyed the tours, hotels, and transfer services.
I would love to see you back in my country sometime in the future and help you organize another amazing adventure here in Greece with other amazing locations, plus Milos for a few days! LOL

It was a true pleasure to work with you and assist you with everything. You guys are one amazing couple!

Take care and always have fun!

My very best,
Angela

P.S. it's Danae :)

Fantastic vacation in Croatia
Croatia | Jun 11 - Jun 18, 2022

N
Nicole S.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Huge thanks to the KimKim team and especially to Sarah for planning such a fabulous vacation. I was trying to book a trip without any help to see all the top sights in Croatia and there is absolutely no way I would have had such an amazing experience if I hadn't sought out KimKim and Sarah's guidance. From the adventures to the accommodations to the guides, everything was top notch. Special thanks to Mario who drove us to so many places, kept us smiling and gave us great restaurant... Read more

Huge thanks to the KimKim team and especially to Sarah for planning such a fabulous vacation. I was trying to book a trip without any help to see all the top sights in Croatia and there is absolutely no way I would have had such an amazing experience if I hadn't sought out KimKim and Sarah's guidance. From the adventures to the accommodations to the guides, everything was top notch. Special thanks to Mario who drove us to so many places, kept us smiling and gave us great restaurant recommendations and who also taught us so much about Croatia! I am so glad to have met you all and very grateful for all you did to make sure we had a fantastic time.

Hotel Reviews
Heritage Hotel Fermai
Split

Beautiful hotel in excellent location with very friendly staff

Tips for future travelers

Stay here!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Airbnb "Old City & Sea View Dubrovnik"
Dubrovnik

Unbelievable view from the balcony - great way to start each morning with a cup of coffee overlooking the old city and Lokrum island! Buga was so friendly and made us feel right at home.

Authenticity & Character
The view and the host
Location
Fine for me but lots of stairs
Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort
Hvar

The only reason this score is lower is because we hardly spent time at the hotel because we had many activities to do.

Authenticity & Character
Nice pool area
Location
Location was good, about 10min walk to the centre. Room was quite small
Activity Reviews
Day Trip to the Caves & Beaches of Vis Island by boat
Day Trip to the Caves & Beaches of Vis Island by boat
Hvar

Thank you to Stepan and Ivanka for hosting us on this adventure. The waters were choppy so we couldn't jump in all the swim spots, but of course safety wins :) We had a great time touring Vis island and seeing the incredible blue caves. Thank you for having drinks for us to stay refreshed!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Half Day Boating Excursion to the Elaphite Islands
Half Day Boating Excursion to the Elaphite Islands
Dubrovnik

Really appreciated our captain who was laid back, checked in with us on how we wanted to spend our time and who had drinks and snacks ready for us

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Split

It's a long drive from Split but totally worth it! The waterfalls are incredible to see in person and there is plenty of walking/hiking for nature lovers. We were lucky that there weren't too many people that day so we didn't feel crowded at all.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Mario our driver was the BEST!
Transport
Peljesac Wine Tasting Excursion + Ston -> en route to Dubrovnik
Peljesac Wine Tasting Excursion + Ston -> en route to Dubrovnik
Split

The wine tasting was a fun experience, though low key and quite rustic compared to other areas. Visiting Ston and eating lunch at Konoba Bakus was the highlight. Nothing like fresh mussels and oysters right from the doorstep!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Sarah Cosic

Marina was wonderful and very responsive thro...
Portugal | Jul 21 - Jul 31, 2022

S
Sarah E.
Summerland Key, FL | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Marina was wonderful and very responsive through the entire process. I was a little dissapointed in having to upgrade two hotels used during our stay. However, Marina was quick to help resolve and get us where we needed to be, however the additional expense durning the trip wasn't ideal. I think perhaps discussing more room options and cost differences would be helpful during the reservation process and expectations of hotel quality and location should match the travelers desires. Read more

Marina was wonderful and very responsive through the entire process. I was a little dissapointed in having to upgrade two hotels used during our stay. However, Marina was quick to help resolve and get us where we needed to be, however the additional expense durning the trip wasn't ideal. I think perhaps discussing more room options and cost differences would be helpful during the reservation process and expectations of hotel quality and location should match the travelers desires.

Hotel Reviews
H10 Duque de Loule
Lisboa
Authenticity & Character
It was a lovely hotel and the breakfast was wonderful.
Location
We could walk everywhere vs having to pay for an Uber.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel HM Balanguera
Palma de Mallorca

I was not happy at all with the location of this hotel. It was very far from the beach or any location we would be wanting to visit. It was a big step down from the hotel in Portugal and after a full day of travel we were very disspointed to say the least. We ended up moving to another hotel which was much preferred.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Staff was very friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
We had a top sheet on the bed with no other blanket. It was also very small for two travelers that are not a couple. The pool area seating was soiled and felt dirty.
Cascade Wellness Resort
Lagos

We absolutely love our experience at Cascade Wellness Resort. It was exactly what we were looking for!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril
Portugal

Nuno was a wonderful tour guide! We loved this day and we were able to see so much of the area.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Marina Courtaut
Marina
Marina Courtaut
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jun 23, 2022

Hi Sarah, thank you for taking the time to write a review! It has been a true pleasure helping you plan your mother/daughter trip to Spain and I appreciate your suggestions regarding the hotels, we will include more information about each hotel :) I will be more than happy to help with a future adventure :) Best regards, Marina

Would do again.
Italy | Jun 1 - Jun 10, 2022

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Ryan S.
Sunnyside, WA | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Everything on the trip was extremely well done. All the guides were professional, friendly, and helpful. Our in country concierge (Barbara) kept in constant contact and was available to answer questions when needed.
The tours setup were small group, skip the line type, of tours. The guides were all excellent and their handling of the situations and crowds were well done.
Overall, I will be working with this service again. Read more

Everything on the trip was extremely well done. All the guides were professional, friendly, and helpful. Our in country concierge (Barbara) kept in constant contact and was available to answer questions when needed.
The tours setup were small group, skip the line type, of tours. The guides were all excellent and their handling of the situations and crowds were well done.

Overall, I will be working with this service again.

Hotel Reviews
Rose Garden Palace
Rome

Location was ok, though right across from the embassy row - which while we were there had alarms going on during one night. Obviously not the fault of the hotel. The location is such that, with a little walking, you can get to most any of the most popular sights. The restaurant offered excellent food with a good amount of choice. Staff throughout the hotel was helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Florence

The hotel location was excellent. Staff, especially concierge, was very helpful. The restaurant, on the main floor, was probably the only downside. The food itself was very tasty, but the breadth of offerings were limited.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Ai Reali Hotel Venice
Venice

Older hotel, but that was the draw for us. It was very comfortable. The staff was extremely helpful. The location was great, easy walking to anything needed.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Small Group tour of Colosseum underground, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum ( max 6 people)
Small Group tour of Colosseum underground, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum ( max 6 people)
Rome

This small group was of 4, which really helped. The sites speak for themselves, but the guide added to the information with her knowledge. The only drawback was we had to meet up with larger groups in order to process tickets. This seemed like an oversight in logistics planning, that did cause some issues, but overall things were handled well.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Small group tour of Vatican City , Sistine Chapel & saint Peter's Basilica
Small group tour of Vatican City , Sistine Chapel & saint Peter's Basilica
Rome

The small group aspect of this was helpful. There was a lot of people going through these sites that day, and the guide was able to work through it all. We were in a small group of 6, and caught all the areas and art.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Montepulciano and Pienza Tour
Montepulciano and Pienza Tour
Italy

Two things on this trip really stand out: our driver, and the stop at the working dairy farm. The cities of Montepulciano and Pienza were scenic, and laid back. Even though there were a good amount of people in both. Our driver pointed out many sites along the way and answered questions as we went. He was friendly and fun to hang out with. The visit to the dairy farm allowed us to meet another great individual in the owner. He was down to earth and real. The food (cheese and meat sampling) was amazing! I would go back to this location in a heartbeat.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wanna be Italiano - Florence cooking class and market tour
Wanna be Italiano - Florence cooking class and market tour
Italy

This was one of my favorite things to do while in Florence. The instructors were fun, helpful, great, overall. The class was easy going and had a fun atmosphere. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly.

Quality of Experience
Food
Of course...I helped to make it, so...
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Florence and Accademia City Tour
Florence and Accademia City Tour
Italy

A great guide made this a great experience. The knowledge shared was excellent. We saw some of the most famous art/sculpture in the world. The "skip the line" tickets are the way to go.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Venice walking tour
Venice walking tour
Italy

Our guide was one of the most knowledgeable individuals I have ever met. We gained so much information on St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge Palace. It was a long afternoon, but very much worth it.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
"Bacari" local street food tour
"Bacari" local street food tour
Italy

Our guide was amazing! The food was amazing! It was a lot of fun, overall.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Venice Gondola Ride
Venice Gondola Ride
Venice

Very much a "tourist must do" type of thing. What really makes this is if you get a helpful gondolier. Ours was, and it made the ride even better.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Fabio Fasone
Fabio
Fabio Fasone
Local specialist in Venice, Italy | Replied on Oct 11, 2022

Ciao Ryan,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your excellent feedback.
It was great to plan your trip to Italy,
I am glad we've been able to create unforgettable memories of your trip to my beloved country. I am also glad you liked the service of our concierge which is really helpful with traveling in Italy.
I am looking forward to welcoming you again.
I wish you all the best!
Ciao!!

We had such a great time visiting Greece. Our...
Greece | Jun 8 - Jun 19, 2022

J
Jan C.
Rohnert Park, CA | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
We had such a great time visiting Greece. Our agent, Angela was amazing. She booked us for exactly what we wanted and was always available to answer questions. I would highly recommend to anyone wishing to travel to use Kimkim! Read more

We had such a great time visiting Greece. Our agent, Angela was amazing. She booked us for exactly what we wanted and was always available to answer questions. I would highly recommend to anyone wishing to travel to use Kimkim!

Hotel Review
Vigla Hotel
Amorgos

Amazing hotel! It’s a little remote but the staff and food were amazing!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Angela (Aggeliki) Giannioti
Angela (Aggeliki)
Angela (Aggeliki) Giannioti
Local specialist in Greece | Replied on Jun 21, 2022

Hey Jan! Geia sou!

I am really happy to read that you had a great time here in Greece! Hope to see you back sometime in the future. :)

My best to Lisa. :)

Always have fun and take care!

Angela

Amazing trip to Croatia. June 2022
Croatia | Jun 4 - Jun 17, 2022

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Lana P.
Los Gatos, CA | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
We just came back from an amazing trip to Croatia put together by Antonia from Croatique. What a fantastic job she did! Everything was meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. Antonia did a great job suggesting activities that were catered to our interests and to our kids' ages. All accommodations were comfortable and centrally located. All transfers were always on time. Antonia kept us organized with daily updates on what to expect the next day, so we were always prepared. Croatia is... Read more

We just came back from an amazing trip to Croatia put together by Antonia from Croatique. What a fantastic job she did! Everything was meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. Antonia did a great job suggesting activities that were catered to our interests and to our kids' ages. All accommodations were comfortable and centrally located. All transfers were always on time. Antonia kept us organized with daily updates on what to expect the next day, so we were always prepared. Croatia is beautiful and welcoming. We loved every minute there! Huge thanks to Antonia and her team! We can't wait to be back!

Hotel Reviews
Villa Nora Hvar
Hvar

Beautiful hotel in a historic building in the Old town Hvar. Close to everything! Very attentive staff. On top of the best location, Villa Nora had the most amazing breakfast. The rooms are spacious and clean!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
byGrace Apartments
Split, Dalmatia

Lovely, spacious apartment in old town Split. Very convenient location, walking distance to everything! Many restaurants and lots of attractions nearby. We had an amazing stay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Teatro Verdi Boutique Hotel
Zadar

Great hotel, centrally located in old town Zadar. Easy walking distance to the sea and historical attractions. Nice, spacious rooms and good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
16 Lakes Hotel
Rakovica

Comfortable hotel, close to Plitvice Park. We had two connecting rooms for a family of 4. Very good breakfast!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Manda Heritage Hotel
Zagreb

Beautiful, clean and comfortable hotel, walking distance to most attractions. Amazing breakfast bought right to your room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Apartments & Rooms Perla
Dubrovnik

Beautiful, comfortable and right in the middle of old town Dubrovnik! Tomas was a great host - very courteous and accommodating! It's been a pleasure!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Antonia Šutić Ljuština
Antonia
Antonia Šutić Ljuština
Local specialist in Zagreb, Croatia | Replied on Jul 07, 2022

Hi Lana, thank you for this wonderful review, and the detailed feedback of your accommodation! I am glad to her you enjoyed your trip. Hope to see you and your family again in Croatia.
Best regards from sunny Zagreb!
Antonia

Terrible planner - no local knowledge
the United States | Jun 1 - Jun 18, 2022

R
Richard D.
Boynton Beach, FL | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
We had a prior wonderful experience with KimKIm on trip to Morocco. Because of that we selected KimKim for our trip to Alaska. Our planner went to Alaska once as a child, and lives in Las Vegas. He has no local knowledge. Examples: 1- What'd you know about Sitka we would like to go? "I do not know much".
The plan we are given takes ferry booked leaving Wrangell to Juneau arriving 3:45AM two days later.
We then book a one day return flight from Juneau to Sitka the for the day we...
Read more

We had a prior wonderful experience with KimKIm on trip to Morocco. Because of that we selected KimKim for our trip to Alaska.

Our planner went to Alaska once as a child, and lives in Las Vegas. He has no local knowledge. Examples:

1- What'd you know about Sitka we would like to go? "I do not know much".
The plan we are given takes ferry booked leaving Wrangell to Juneau arriving 3:45AM two days later.
We then book a one day return flight from Juneau to Sitka the for the day we arrive. Tough schedule but worth it as many people told us about Sitka.

We get on the Ferry and find out it stops in Sitka mid day on the day before our planned flights. We get a room, in Sitka stay one night and use the already scheduled flight from Sitka to Juneau. We could not get refunds for our flight from Juneau to Sitka or for our hotel. Total cost $600-$700. The cost was unnecessary, but given poor planning our only option.

2- We wanted to do to Leconte Glacier. We were told it was sold out. We arrive in Wrangell, make two phone calls and bingo have a tour the next day to Leconte.

3- We were booked in a hotel in Anchorage which was a $60 round trip cab fare, plus miles away from the downtown area where our tours left from. therefor we had three days of $60 cab fares for $180.

In short Leo lacks any in depth knowledge of Alaska costing us missed opportunity, time and money. We feel he failed us as a KimKim representative, the complete oposite of our Morocco experience.

Activity Reviews
Fairbanks Riverboat tour
Fairbanks Riverboat tour
fairbanks alaska

Very informative. Excellent staff. A good thing to do in Fairbanks. If you are in Fairbanks definitely recommended.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
All of it.
Anchorage city tour
Anchorage city tour
Anchorage, AK

Be prepared to visit selected retail shops for half the tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Denali Highway Jeep Excursion
Denali Highway Jeep Excursion
Denali National Park, AK

Some nice views. Lots pf driving. Limited wild life. Be prepared for a 65 - 70 mph 30 min drive to and 30 min back on a highway. Then about 2 hours drive at 45 mph on a firm dirt road. They told us we would be back at the hotel by 10. pm. We arrived back at 10:55 and the restaurant closed at 11pm. Had we not pre-ordered dinner and asked them to save it, we would not have eaten.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Dogsledding on a glacier
Dogsledding on a glacier
Juneau, AK

This was an outstanding day. We had good weather. The helicopter ride was wonderful. The view on the glacier was out of this world, and the dog sledding was not only fun but very informative. Definitely recommended.

Quality of Experience
Overall just amazing
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great staff and helicopter pilot. The musher was really informative.
Transport
Denali Tundra Wilderness bus tour
Denali Tundra Wilderness bus tour
Denali National Park, AK

We learned about the taiga and tundra, ghost forests, and boreal forests. Didn't get to see Denali but I am in the 66% that didn't. Apparently, Denali is better seen in later fall and winter and appreciated more from afar than in the park. Snack pack was provided to all- Kind bar, turkey stick, nuts, cheez balls. Park does a good job of recycling the trash from this trip. When we saw three caribou, we stopped for a sufficient amount of time to view them and then they crossed the road in front of the bus for a close-up!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Couldn't hear most of what the driver who was also the guide was saying as is voice frequently trailed off toward the end of his comments.
Transport
The tour operator uses school bus like vehicles for this tour. The problem is that school bus windows open from the top and stop half way, about the same level as my eyes, so I was looking a metal sash most of the time. That said, when wildlife was spotted, folks stood up to look out the windows. We didn't get off the bus except at limited stops to view the surrounding area.
Prince William Sound cruise
Prince William Sound cruise
Anchorage, AK

This was a great tour of several glaciers with opportunity to see them calve. We visited two significant glaciers in Prince William Sound. Bonus was the narrator from the US Forest Service providing information about the wildlife -on the water and on land- and surrounding mountains. We stopped to watch a pod of humpbacks swim though none breached. Also saw a raft of sea otters - and sea otter babies. Our trip started in Anchorage with a bus trip to Whittier via a 3.5 mile tunnel through the mountain that is shared with the Alaska Railroad (but not at the same time).

Quality of Experience
Several glaciers to see. You don't get to all 26.
Food
Hot chocolate chip cookies near the end of the cruise. "Chowdah" was nice and warm!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very friendly.
Transport
The detour to Alyseska and the tunnel ride.
Rafting the Nenana River
Rafting the Nenana River
Denali National Park, AK

This was a great trip. My 2PM trip was cancelled and I was asked if I could do a 6PM trip instead. I did. However, my hotel stops serving dinner at 10PM so I missed dinner and my next excursion the next morning was at 5:30 so it made for a hungry, short night. Regardless, the rafting was great. I opted to paddle so sat up front. Glad to have a wet suit. Most of the guides are young, certainly younger than I am. They provided the "power" to the raft and those of us paddling helped steer.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise
Seward, AK

This tour was amazing. The captain (yeah- a female!!) provided a great tour and informed narrative out to the glacier. We spent time on the way out and the way back looking for and finding wildlife, including orcas, humpbacks, sea otters, and porpoise. All the staff on the vessel were personable and I spent some time talking to several of them. The vessel is a high-speed catamaran and goes into the Gulf of Alaska to get to the glacier. It has a great configuration to see the wildlife whether at the bow, along the sides, or at the stern.

Quality of Experience
Food
the warm brownies at the end of the trip. Thanks for asking ahead of time what we wanted for lunch.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day trip to Sitka
Day trip to Sitka
Juneau, AK

Our trip started in Ketchikan and we took the ferry (Alaska Marine Highway) to Wrangell - 6 hour trip. From Wrangell, we were booked on the ferry to Juneau, due to arrive 31 hours later at 3:45AM. (not a misprint). We had a cabin booked on the boat. The plan was to arrive at the hotel, take a nap, go to the airport and catch an 11AM flight to Sitka to go to the Raptor Center, possibly some whales from the shore, and then a Bear rehab facility, and Sitka Nat'l Park with totem poles. We would tour Sitka on our own and catch a 7PM flight back to Juneau. Once we were on the ferry, and learned the ports of call for this particular ferry, we learned the ferry was due to stop at Sitka, around 1PM on the day before our roundtrip flight from and to Juneau and our one day excursion. Once we were in an area where we had cell service, about an hour from the Sitka dock, we called hotels in Sitka to get a room (we did), we called our hotel in Juneau to cancel our first night (sorry no refund, too late) and called Alaska Air to cancel only our outbound flight from Juneau to Sitka (sorry no refund, but can apply funds to future travel but not upgrades or food). We were SO glad to spend a day and a half in Sitka. We had the opportunity to get into the cathedral and the Russian Bishop's house (Sitka Nat'l Park), walk to the top of hill where Russia transferred Alaska to the US in 1867 and where the US flag was first raised in Alaska in 1959 when it became a state. The Raptor Center was great, as was the bear rehab place, both brown and black bears. Also caught a great picture of a bald eagle in flight . We were able to fit in the Bishop's House and Cathedral because were were there longer than just a "day trip." As to the actual "day trip" excursions they were fine and informative. Also found a quilt shop that heavily features Alaska themed fabrics and quilt patterns. That was a bonus for me.

Whale Watching & Wildlife Viewing Excursion
Whale Watching & Wildlife Viewing Excursion
Ketchikan

The captain and deck hand, Sam, were very personable. The captain spotted the spout of a humpback and tried so hard to find a pod of whales. That one spout was from one whale who didn't really want to perform for us. We understand that we are encroaching on the whale's home and he is not there to entertain us. The captain really did work to locate other wildlife but to no avail. We ended up having a private tour, no other passengers.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very personable staff. My husband sat in the pilot house with the captain while they talked boats!
Transport
Ended up being a private tour. Can't beat that!
Misty Fjords Seaplane Tour
Misty Fjords Seaplane Tour
Ketchikan

Our experience was with Taquan Air, not pictured here. Taquan Air as best we can tell transports cargo and people around the islands of the Inland Passage. I think they do a Misty Fjords flightsee as another aspect of their business. We had about a one hour trip to, around and back from the fjord. The narration was provided by a recording. There was no or very limited opportunity to ask questions. When we arrived back at the base dock, it was over and the staff where there to load cargo for the next flight. No personal comment like "we hope you enjoyed it." The front desk person was cordial when we checked in and when we left.

Quality of Experience
Prepare the customer for the narrated recording. We understand the pilot is busy flying the plane.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Chance to ask questions about what we didn't understand during the narrated recording. There is blue ice up on the mountains. I am still not sure why. No comments or narrative from the pilot, I felt like cargo.
Transport
Matanuska Glacier Hiking
Matanuska Glacier Hiking
Anchorage, AK

The glacier guide, Chris, was great. He made sure we understood how to walk on the glacier with micro spikes, demonstrated concern for our safety, and possessed a wealth of knowledge about glaciers in general and Matanuska, in particular. He explained the differences in the ice (white, blue, and black), the extent and scope of the glacier, the moraines and rock composition. It was fabulous. Two hour ride from downtown Anchorage to get to the entry road.

Quality of Experience
Food
Can't rate food as we stopped along the way at a Fred Meyer to pick up our lunches.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Chris the guide was fabulous.
Transport
Local specialist: Leo Cuesta
Leo
Leo Cuesta
Local specialist in USA | Replied on Jun 22, 2022
Hi Richard and Carol, Thanks for your review. It sounds like you had a great Alaska trip except for the Wrangell-Sitka-Juneau portion where the planning could have been much better. That is my fault and I apologize for not catching the fact that your ferry’s route had it going to Sitka before Juneau. There are two ferry routes from Wrangell to Juneau, with the other one going directly with only a stop at Petersburg and not making the very out of the way trip to Sitka. I thought that you... Read more

Hi Richard and Carol,

Thanks for your review. It sounds like you had a great Alaska trip except for the Wrangell-Sitka-Juneau portion where the planning could have been much better. That is my fault and I apologize for not catching the fact that your ferry’s route had it going to Sitka before Juneau. There are two ferry routes from Wrangell to Juneau, with the other one going directly with only a stop at Petersburg and not making the very out of the way trip to Sitka. I thought that you would be on that route, in which case the plan I made for you would have made the best sense.

I’m glad the rest of your trip went well. I had you go on an extensive and unique itinerary where you spent 18 days exploring the best of Alaska’s southeast islands as well as the mainland, all without having to be on a cruise ship and without renting a car. You traveled via ferries, trains and buses, the complicated scheduling of which I took care of for you. You enjoyed a multitude of attractions and experiences, all of which I recommended and prepared for you, including self-guided trip instructions that enabled you to explore areas on your own. From your review of the rest of your trip it looks like overall it was a success. Thank you for working with me for your Alaska adventure and I hope you keep wonderful memories of your trip.

Honeymoon in España
Spain | Jun 7 - Jun 18, 2022

M
Mark B.
Highlands Ranch, CO | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
The whole experience was easy and the perfect blend of activity and relaxation . Beatriz worked with us the entire time to ensure we had the perfect honeymoon. From the guides at La sagrada familia, el real Alcázar, and the Alhambra to the romantic winery picnic or sailboat experience with Spanish guitar it was all perfect and beautiful. Bea would send us messages and check in with us, and also give us local recommendations along the way. She even told all of the event planners it was our... Read more

The whole experience was easy and the perfect blend of activity and relaxation . Beatriz worked with us the entire time to ensure we had the perfect honeymoon. From the guides at La sagrada familia, el real Alcázar, and the Alhambra to the romantic winery picnic or sailboat experience with Spanish guitar it was all perfect and beautiful. Bea would send us messages and check in with us, and also give us local recommendations along the way. She even told all of the event planners it was our honeymoon so we had extra surprises along the way, like champagne when we checked into our hotel. All in all, would definitely recommend using Kim Kim and especially Bea. Thank you so much!!!

Local specialist: Beatriz De Pablo Rocha
Beatriz
Beatriz De Pablo Rocha
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jun 20, 2022

Mark and Stevie, a big big thanks to you for your kind words!!! As I already said, it's been super fun and easy to work with you during the entire process and I'm really happy you both enjoyed this special trip and hope you created lovely memories. Warmest regards, Bea

Fantastic trip to Portugal and Spain!
Spain | Jun 8 - Jun 14, 2022

Gregory
Gregory J.
Tampa, FL | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
We had an amazing trip. The whole experience from initial contact to the return flight home was memorable. Working with Marina was easy and quick. She is very knowledgeable and listens very well to what her customers want. She was very responsive and the tours, hotels and trip planning were fantastic. The first night stay in Obidos in the Castle was an unforgettable experience. The next day our guide Sandra in Portal was really good. Deep knowledge of the city and region and fun and full of... Read more

We had an amazing trip. The whole experience from initial contact to the return flight home was memorable. Working with Marina was easy and quick. She is very knowledgeable and listens very well to what her customers want. She was very responsive and the tours, hotels and trip planning were fantastic. The first night stay in Obidos in the Castle was an unforgettable experience. The next day our guide Sandra in Portal was really good. Deep knowledge of the city and region and fun and full of energy. Recommend her to everyone. The next day tour and river cruise on the Douro River was great. Such a beautiful area and Rui our guide was very flexible and accommodating as well as knowledgeable. The drive to Lisbon was nice and Marinas suggested stops were great. Lisbon was wonderful and our guide Jose was again knowledgeable and very nice. Our cooking class with Lucilla was one of the high points of our Portugal experience. So much fun. The next day trip to Cascais, Sinatra and Estoril was very beautiful and nicely done. Our guide Paulo was fun and knowledgeable and was an excellent driver as well. The trip to Lagos was also beautiful and the caves and grottos incredible. The next part of the trip into Spain was also perfect. The flight to Bilbao was as planned and Bilbao was a very nice surprise! The area is beautiful and lush and green. The Guggenheim did not disappoint and the Food and wine tour with Ellie was great! The drive to Pamplona was again beautiful and the city was great. Then in to Magical Madrid. Our hotel was right on the Plaza Mayor and could not have been better. Geza our guide was very good and showed us all around the old city and Royal Palace including the changing of the guard. Our side trip to Segovia was very nice and the day trip to Toledo by train and our guide was very good as well.
We really enjoyed the trip, the food, the wine, the hotels and the guides. Congrats to Marina and her team.

Hotel Reviews
Pestana Plaza Mayor Madrid
Madrid

Great location!

Tips for future travelers

Please give more details on where to park.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Gran Hotel La Perla
Pamplona

Let the hotel park your car. They gladly park it and retrieve it promptly.

Authenticity & Character
Beautifully restored and updated.
Location
Right on the main square
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Ercilla de Bilbao
Bilbao, Bizkaia

Beautiful gem right in the heart of the city. Great service and staff.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Marina Courtaut
Marina
Marina Courtaut
Local specialist in Madrid | Replied on Jun 23, 2022

Hi Gregory, thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to write such a detailed review! It has been a true pleasure helping you plan your trip to Portugal and Spain and I'm so glad you enjoyed every part of it, it is what our team always strives for. I will share your kind words with our team in Portugal and Spain :) I am thrilled that you chose us and I hope our paths will cross again when planning your next adventure. Warmest regards, Marina

Above and beyond -- an amazing experience in Ecuador, in the face of many challenges
Ecuador | Jun 9 - Jun 17, 2022

Michael
Michael P.
Norwood, MA | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Our trip to Ecuador was amazing! Jackie in Ecuador was just incredible to work with. We faced serious challenges in our trip when a general strike was called throughout Ecuador by CONAIE, an association of indigenious people. This involved roadblocks and protests throughout the country. Jackie and the guide she hired, Dario, did an absolutely incredible job of working around these conditions to ensure a wonderful experience, even though this meant rearranging our itinerary and... Read more

Our trip to Ecuador was amazing! Jackie in Ecuador was just incredible to work with.

We faced serious challenges in our trip when a general strike was called throughout Ecuador by CONAIE, an association of indigenious people. This involved roadblocks and protests throughout the country.

Jackie and the guide she hired, Dario, did an absolutely incredible job of working around these conditions to ensure a wonderful experience, even though this meant rearranging our itinerary and schedule completely.

When our Ecuadorian Ballet Folklorico performance was cancelled, she arranged a private performance in a beautiful hotel.

When the city of Banos was blocked off, Jackie and Dario suggested Mindo insteady - a gorgeous nature destination with hummingbirds, ziplines and river rafting.

It was a hit and we were safe and well cared for throughout the trip.

In my last day relaxing in the thermal baths at Papallacta, I couldn't recommend KimKim enough to the travelers around me. Thank you!

Activity Reviews
Quito - Cotopaxi National Park
Quito - Cotopaxi National Park
Ecuador
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Project at School in Otavalo
Project at School in Otavalo
Otavalo
Local specialist:
Jackeline
Jackeline V.
Ecuador | Replied on Jun 20, 2022

Dear Michael,
Thank you for your kind words and comments.
Working on your tour was fantastic for me, and knowing that I could create such a pleasant experience in the midst of a strike warmed my heart.
You were such a wonderful group, so upbeat and welcoming. It was wonderful to communicate with you during those days.
I wish you successful future tours for everyone.
I hope you can return to Ecuador and see the places you missed this time.

Best wishes from Quito.

Family of three loves Morocco!
Morocco | Jun 6 - Jun 10, 2022

S
Sheila D.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
We had a fabulous time in Morocco all due to the Kim kim/Original Travels team. They were very reponsive and helped to set up exactly what we were looking for in our first adventure there. First our driver guide Mohammed was the best. He was very flexible, had many great stories and really took care of us well. We learned much about the history and people through him. Our tour guides in Fes and Marrakesh, Mohammed and Hanan were also excellent, different in styles but equally... Read more

We had a fabulous time in Morocco all due to the Kim kim/Original Travels team. They were very reponsive and helped to set up exactly what we were looking for in our first adventure there. First our driver guide Mohammed was the best. He was very flexible, had many great stories and really took care of us well. We learned much about the history and people through him. Our tour guides in Fes and Marrakesh, Mohammed and Hanan were also excellent, different in styles but equally knowledgeable. I appreciated that when we walked the streets of Fes, Mohammed seemed to know eveyone. He maneuered the streets of the Medina like a pro and made sure we had a good time. Hanan knew Marakesh like the back of her hand. After 4 days of touring other parts of the country we were a bit tired, so she was able to adjust the tour to our needs - slowing down the pace and finding food for our vegetarian daughter. The planning through their online tool was easy and the team was quick to respond and provide pricing and ideas. I will definitely sign up for another tour with them. Next time the Sahara!. Thank you Kim Kim team.

Hotel Reviews
Riad les Sources Berbères
Marrakech

Gorgeous rooms! Delicious breakfast. We loved the accommodations and the staff was super helpful with suggestions of places to eat. They made reservations for dinner for us at places close by. Loved every minute there. Gorgeous hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad Ghita
Fes

Gorgeous rooms! Delicious breakfast. We ate dinner there and were not disappointed with the view and the quality of the meal. A beutiful respite from the Medina.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lina Ryad & Spa
Chefchaouen

Gorgeous rooms! Delicious breakfast.

Tips for future travelers

Make time for the spa.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech
Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech
Marrakesh
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hanan was a fabulous guide.
Local specialist: Mohamed El Asely
Mohamed
Mohamed El Asely
Local specialist in Atlas Mountains | Replied on Jun 21, 2022

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for taking the time to review your stay in the Moroccan Kingdom.

I’m so glad to hear that our staff were able to make your experience with us a memorable one and that you enjoyed all of the activities we offer. We take pride in the quality of our service and hope to continue delivering the best service possible to our guests and keep on the same track. I have shared your feedback with the team and they are thrilled to learn that you had a great time in our gorgeous country.

Looking forward to seeing you again in Morocco.

Best,
Mohamed

Thank you for taking care of us and make the trip so smooth
Nepal | Jun 8 - Jun 15, 2022

Martina
Martina G.
Spain | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
Thank you for the experience! Our trip to Nepal was incredible, we loved both our sightseeing around Kathmandu and our trek to Gorephani. What made this experience such a good one, undoubtedly, was the help and support we got from the following people:
Ngima - helped organised the trip before it started)
Lakpa - drove us around Kathmandu, took care of our transfers, and helped with every challenge that came along the way
Ang Gelu Sherpa (trek guide) and Gyalbu Sherpa (porter) - who took...
Read more

Thank you for the experience! Our trip to Nepal was incredible, we loved both our sightseeing around Kathmandu and our trek to Gorephani. What made this experience such a good one, undoubtedly, was the help and support we got from the following people:
Ngima - helped organised the trip before it started)
Lakpa - drove us around Kathmandu, took care of our transfers, and helped with every challenge that came along the way
Ang Gelu Sherpa (trek guide) and Gyalbu Sherpa (porter) - who took care of us during the trek, made sure we were healthy and comfortable.
We knew we were travelling during a not ideal season (monsoon), but Kim Kim made it sure to plan the best possible options to make the most of our trip.
Thank you again for taking care of us.

Activity Review
Trek from Ghorepani to Tadapani (8,562 feet / 2,610 m), Sunrise at Poon Hill
Trek from Ghorepani to Tadapani (8,562 feet / 2,610 m), Sunrise at Poon Hill
Nepal

This was the highlight of the trip, Annapurna sight is mindblowing.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Ngima Dorji Sherpa
Ngima
Ngima Dorji Sherpa
Local specialist in Kathmandu | Replied on Jun 21, 2022

Hi Martina,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. Glad to hear that you had a memorable trip and that you are happy with the services provided by our staff. I hope you see you again for your next adventure soon. :)

Best regards,
Ngima ( NMMT family)

Exceptional experience and attitude through the adversity of covid!
Norway | Jun 10 - Jun 19, 2022

C
Chrys C.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
We had an amazing experience planning and coordinating the trip with Linda and the team. Despite Covid19 trying hard to cancel our trip (and after 2 years of postponing it) we managed to take the trip and have an incredible time. The team was super helpful throughout all the different changes, adjustments and was very accommodating and always with a smile. We thank them for that! Beyond the great selection of hotels and options along the journey the team also picked an incredible guide in... Read more

We had an amazing experience planning and coordinating the trip with Linda and the team. Despite Covid19 trying hard to cancel our trip (and after 2 years of postponing it) we managed to take the trip and have an incredible time. The team was super helpful throughout all the different changes, adjustments and was very accommodating and always with a smile. We thank them for that!

Beyond the great selection of hotels and options along the journey the team also picked an incredible guide in Oslo (Stig). We had a great day out with him!

Thank you for all the support and making out trip special.

Hotel Review
Hotel Brosundet
Ålesund

Fantastic hotel overall. Even on the worst rainy day it provided everything end to end for a day in. Great gym, sauna, fantastic restaurant (definitely recommended), bar and beautiful lounge area with a cool fireplace. They even had a surprise complementary dinner/meal one of the nights which was delicious. Well equipped rooms as well

Authenticity & Character
Cool old building outside and also well-architected inside while having modern rooms and gym
Location
Overlooking the canal and beautiful city of Alesund
Staff
Super helpful, proactive
Cleanliness & Comfort
Spotless everywhere, felt like a new hotel
Local specialist: Linda Veråsdal
Linda
Linda Veråsdal
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Jun 20, 2022

Hi Chrys, happy to read you had a nice journey and finally got to do it! After covid years in planning :-) Thank you very much for your review, so glad to hear - despite some rainy days - it was a great experience. Hope to see you back in Norway another time! All the best to you both.

Amazing family 10 day trip to Croatia!!
Croatia | Jun 9 - Jun 19, 2022

Carla
Carla W.
Benbrook, TX | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
This was by far the most stress free vacations we have ever had! Hiring a travel agent was the best decision we made especially when traveling to a foreign country. . Antonia, our travel agent, was the absolute best from the beginning stages of planning to the very last day of our trip. She was available to us 24/7 and was very responsive and took care of all our needs. She would always respond immediately. She took care of all the details and we had the best time in Croatia! We traveled... Read more

This was by far the most stress free vacations we have ever had! Hiring a travel agent was the best decision we made especially when traveling to a foreign country. . Antonia, our travel agent, was the absolute best from the beginning stages of planning to the very last day of our trip. She was available to us 24/7 and was very responsive and took care of all our needs. She would always respond immediately. She took care of all the details and we had the best time in Croatia! We traveled from Dubrovnik to split to zadar to rovinj and Zagreb with stops to krka and plitvice! Croatia is absolutely beautiful and people everywhere are so nice! You will not be disappointed visiting this beautiful country!

Hotel Reviews
Bastion Heritage Hotel—Relais & Châteaux
Zadar
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Angelo d'Oro
Rovinj

Great location! Lovely hotel! Had a nice spread for breakfast in a nice patio! Spacious rooms

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
16 Lakes Hotel
Rakovica

Great hotel for the area. Spacious rooms for families. Nice outdoors for dining.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Jägerhorn
Zagreb

Good location but didn’t like the sloped ceilings in the room. Felt claustrophobic to me. Also there’s no elevator.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Villa Malo More
Dubrovnik

We enjoyed our stay here! Very nice and spacious. Love that the kids had their own bathroom! Nice location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Vila Nepos
Split

My favorite stay in the whole trip in Croatia! Very elegant and had washer/dryer! Very spacey and in the heart of split! Great location! Highly recommend

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Antonia Šutić Ljuština
Antonia
Antonia Šutić Ljuština
Local specialist in Zagreb, Croatia | Replied on Jul 08, 2022

Hi Carla, thank you so much for the detailed review, and thank you as well for sharing the photos from your trip, which are wonderful - so glad you had a great time! Hope to see you and your family back in Croatia soon.
Best regards from sunny Zagreb,
Antonia

Our Tour of Morroco
Morocco | May 23 - May 30, 2022

J
Jihad S.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 20, 2022
We had a great tour of Morroco! Our tour was 7 days from Marrakech to Casablanca with stays in Ourzazate, Desert, Fes and beautiful Chefchaouen. Abdellah was very responsive and accommodated all our requests. Our driver, Samir, was very nice and was always sharing tips and pointing points of interest, restaurants, and other places that we inquired about. He was always on time and was never irritated We had planning if one of us was late. When we raised a concern to Abdellah and team related... Read more

We had a great tour of Morroco! Our tour was 7 days from Marrakech to Casablanca with stays in Ourzazate, Desert, Fes and beautiful Chefchaouen. Abdellah was very responsive and accommodated all our requests. Our driver, Samir, was very nice and was always sharing tips and pointing points of interest, restaurants, and other places that we inquired about. He was always on time and was never irritated We had planning if one of us was late. When we raised a concern to Abdellah and team related to one of our stays they resolved it immediately by moving us to a great Riad that we really loved. All in all excellent service and we highly recommend planning your Morroco tour with Abdellah.

Hotel Reviews
Tiziri Luxury Camp
Merzouga

This camp is eco friendly, the food was delicious, the tents were spacious and well fitted. The best we part was the Camel Ride experience in the desert. It felt like an out of this world experience. What we loved most about Tiziri Luxury Camp was the staff who were so much fun and had excellent service!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lina Ryad & Spa
Chefchaouen

This Riad is absolutely lovely!! We stayed one night there but I really wish we had planned to stay there more than one night. The rooms and the lobby are beautiful and the terrace was spacious and multi level with panoramic view of the town. The breakfast was delicious. Highly recommend and we'll definitely stay there if we visit Chefchaouen again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Abdellah El Asely
Abdellah
Abdellah El Asely
Local specialist in Marrakech | Replied on Jun 21, 2022

Hi Jihad,

We are so thankful for your awesome review which is highly appreciated.

It's our pleasure to learn that you have enjoyed your journey with Original Travels to the fullest, that really makes our day!!! Our staff always do their best to provide the best possible service to our guests and live up to their expectations, and we are glad that this commitment was reflected in your visit. I will pass on your kind words to the team to make them know that their hard work is rewarded.

Thanks again for your review and looking forward to having you once again in Morocco.

Best,
Abdel

Trip of a lifetime!
Switzerland | Jun 4 - Jun 15, 2022

D
Daniella G.
Addison, IL | Reviewed on Jun 19, 2022
Once booking with Tomaz and KimKim, my friend and I were given to a local company with Zala helping us. Overall, the trip and recommendations were amazing. Day by day feedback to follow. We had great directions from Zala regarding transportation and luckily the train was easy to get the hang of. Our first hotel was Hotel Josef. Very cute hotel and close to the train as promised. What we didn't know however, was that there was no front desk at this hotel. Check in was a bit difficult,... Read more

Once booking with Tomaz and KimKim, my friend and I were given to a local company with Zala helping us. Overall, the trip and recommendations were amazing. Day by day feedback to follow.

We had great directions from Zala regarding transportation and luckily the train was easy to get the hang of. Our first hotel was Hotel Josef. Very cute hotel and close to the train as promised. What we didn't know however, was that there was no front desk at this hotel. Check in was a bit difficult, especially after a full day of travel. Written on the locked hotel's door was a note to walk to a nearby hotel after 9pm. We arrived around 7:30pm on a Saturday. We called the number on the door as well as the number provided in our paperwork. Neither number worked. We took it upon ourselves to walk to the nearby hotel and ask for some assistance. Turns out check in was via a kiosk inside the restaurant and we needed a code to get in the main door. This would have been helpful information to know before arrival.

The Limmat River cruise ticket was covered with the Swiss pass. Suggestions on where to get off and walk around would have been helpful. The Zurich Small Group Tour is not something I would recommend. There was no explanation of what was on the tour (i.e. number of stops, type of food or type of drink) prior to booking it. The first stop was for beer, meat, and cheese. There was no alternative to the beer, which neither of us drink so that was a huge waste of beer and our money. I expected information from the tour guide about the types of cheeses and meats available. There was only information about the beer from the waiter at the restaurant. The tour guide, unfortunately, didn't know any information. Next, the weather didn't cooperate and there was a big downpour preventing us from getting to our next stop. We improvised and stopped for a drink at a nearby bar to wait out the rain. Because we stopped here and because supposedly the third (and final) stop was closed, our guide provided 5 CHF toward the wine, and we covered the rest. She seemed unsure of her budget and considering there was no backup plan for rain or for a closed final stop, I don't think we should have had to cover our own glass of wine. The final stop was for fondue. This was a cute place, but again, not much information. The other people on the tour booked the tour on their own and cost about 150 CAD, about $115. This tour was NOT worth anywhere close to that. Quite a disappointment.

Mt. Pilatus was amazing. Absolutely worth every penny and all the time! It was very cloudy, so we did not get the panoramic views, but a risk you must take. What we were not told about was that there is a stop on the descent with fantastic activities including a ropes course, zip line, glider, and toboggan. Because we didn’t know these existed, by the time we got down to this part, we could not do the ropes course, which is something that we would have loved to do. We were able to do the zip line and toboggan, which were very fun! I highly recommend them.

Lucerne was adorable. There was a lot to see and do. Hotel Central Luzern was such a cute hotel. The front desk staff was fantastic. In fact, everyone was. The room was teeny tiny though. Barely room to walk around and the bathroom door was a frosted glass door with the toilet right in front of it, so there was no privacy. The space was not so much the issue because we were only there to sleep, but the lack of privacy would have been an issue if we needed to stay more than 1 night. Hotel Château Gütsch was not recommended to us, but we saw it in the skyline and is worth the time.

We stayed in Interlaken for quite a while. I’m guessing because it was central to a lot of the big activities we had planned. The downside, the area was small with not much to do. Even with suggestions from the hotel, everything was closed after the activities we had planned for the day, so the evenings were very boring. The higher altitude activities required a heavier jacket, which we were warned about before the trip. I had arranged with Zala to rent a jacket by asking the hotel staff as there was supposed to be somewhere to rent nearby our hotel. Unfortunately, after asking multiple people, they were all unaware of places to rent during the summer. This induced a bit of a panic. We called the number provided and were able to speak to Tomaz. He was not aware of anywhere either. Within about an hour, Zala had emailed with alternative locations. Some of which I had already explored, but ultimately, the rental location on the way to Jungfrau worked out. Having specific details already planned into the itinerary about the rental location would have eased some unnecessary stress. With all that said, Zala was very attentive through email with all my questions while we were local. The Funky Chocolate Club was amazing. The experience was fun and there was a lot of information, and everything was hands-on plus goodies to take away. A friend suggested the Staubbach falls, which were beautiful. There is also panoramic hotel nearby that we discovered while walking around and that is also something I would recommend.

It could have been mentioned, but there was a ton of rainy days everywhere we went except for Lausanne. I did bring a light rain jacket, but it was a lot of rain and ended up with soaking wet shoes because we did not want to miss out on exploring. Luckily the rain was intermittent. St. Beatus Caves and Oberhofen Castle is worth the visit. The caves were spectacular. Hotel Interlaken was great. Spacious and good breakfast.

The trip to Grindelwald was easy to navigate. The mountain carts were a blast! To get to the carts was a trek though. When booking our trip, we did pick the mountain carts, however, we were not told that we could bundle and do more than one activity for a discounted price. The trek was long to get to the activities and the carts lasted only a few minutes of fun, so we instantly wanted to do more. To do that though, we would have had to buy the activity and the gondola. We were incredibly disappointed to learn it would have cost a tremendous amount to do that instead of pre-bundling.

Zermatt was a bit of a disappointment. We did not realize that going to the Matterhorn would cost anything let alone 71 CHF with the Swiss Pass. We did not end up doing that. The town was cute, but we did not stay long.

Lausanne was so cute! There was so much to do. Beau-Rivage Palace in Ouchy was absolutely worth the visit as well as the Cathedral. Hotel de l'Angleterre was right next door to the Palace, but I was not able to go in and walk around. And of course, the Olympic Museum. Vevey and especially Montreux are also worth the visit. Chillon Castle was a gorgeous true castle. So much history and beauty. We chose to go paddle boarding in Vevey instead of doing museums. We had intended to do the winery but did not get to it.

Geneva city tour with a bus and boat cruise was also not something I would recommend. The bus tour did allow us to see quite a few attractions but even while driving slowly, it was a different experience than seeing it walking. I did like the couple times we got off the bus. After the bus we took a tramway. They did a good job trying to allow you to see everything, but you could not fully appreciate the beauty of the structures while still moving. The boat cruise was in no way a tour. We just sat on a very hot boat for an hour. The Fondue cooking class was a great experience. I do recommend that. As much as I liked Lausanne, it would have been nice to stay in Geneva at least for the last night.

In general, suggestions for what to do and see during our downtime would have been helpful. In addition, knowing that stores and every day activities are closed on Sundays was important information we did not have. The Olympic Museum was closed on Mondays, and the Monday after we arrived was a holiday and therefore a lot of stores were also closed. More information regarding the guided tours is also necessary as I don’t think these were worth the money. Overall, the trip was great and I would recommend Switzerland to anyone.

Local specialist: Tomaz Martinek
Tomaz
Tomaz Martinek
Local specialist in Slovenia | Replied on Jul 06, 2022

Hi Daniella,

thank you for your comprehensive review. We did our best to stay within your budget, that's why some of the options for hotels and activities were replaced or taken out for you. That was all discussed in our initial planning phases. I look forward to welcome you in Europe once more. Kind regards, Tomaz

My husband and I had an amazing adventure thr...
Morocco | May 8 - May 15, 2022

A
asma m.
Phoenix, AZ | Reviewed on Jun 19, 2022
My husband and I had an amazing adventure through Morocco with our driver Karim for a bulk of our trip (consider yourself lucky if you get him, he's incredibly knowledgeable and so familiar with the region!) We also had Hanan guiding us in Marrakesh for local visits and sightseeing in the area (reach out to her in you're looking for a great experience in Marrakesh complete with local color and a knowledgeable guide to all the local attractions).
Our trip was 8 days beginning in Casablanca...
Read more

My husband and I had an amazing adventure through Morocco with our driver Karim for a bulk of our trip (consider yourself lucky if you get him, he's incredibly knowledgeable and so familiar with the region!) We also had Hanan guiding us in Marrakesh for local visits and sightseeing in the area (reach out to her in you're looking for a great experience in Marrakesh complete with local color and a knowledgeable guide to all the local attractions).
Our trip was 8 days beginning in Casablanca and ending in Marrakesh with amazing sights and experiences along the way. Using kimkim was so amazing and made our trip hassle-free as we didn't have to research local hotels or search for activities, as plenty of great activities were scheduled and suggested for the journey. We certainly plan to use this service for our next adventure!

Hotel Reviews
Dar Rihana Dades
Douar Aït Ouffi

This hotel was so comfortable and pretty! The balcony area is stunning, the food is great and the staff is incredibly helpful - the young man at the front desk was incredibly helpful and a great guide to local suggestions

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad Ghita
Fes

This Riad is truly beautiful!! An amazing staff. Breakfast is incredibly delicious, clean and fantastic location

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Dar Mounir
Chefchaouen

This hotel sits in a beautiful location, with an incredibly helpful staff. Very comfortable and authentic, awesome nearby food

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tiziri Luxury Camp
Merzouga

The Tiziri Luxary camp is amazing!! It truly exceeds all expectations. It's a fully sustainable camp with an amazing team, incredible food, and a great atmosphere.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad Passali
Marrakech
Activity Reviews
Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech
Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech
Marrakesh
Transfer to Marrakech via Roses Valley, Ouarzazate,  Aït Benhaddou & Atlas Mountains.
Transfer to Marrakech via Roses Valley, Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou & Atlas Mountains.
Morocco
Transfer to Dades Valley via Todra Gorges
Transfer to Dades Valley via Todra Gorges
Morocco
Visit Majorelle Gardens
Visit Majorelle Gardens
Marrakesh
Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride
Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride
Morocco

We rode with Hamid! He was wonderful and we had an amazing ride. We were able to catch sunset in the Sahara, the view of a lifetime!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Tour of Fez Medina
Guided Tour of Fez Medina
Fes
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes
Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes
Morocco
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Casablanca for Early Arrivers
Casablanca for Early Arrivers
Casablanca
Quality of Experience
I
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Abdellah El Asely
Abdellah
Abdellah El Asely
Local specialist in Marrakech | Replied on Jun 21, 2022
Hi Asma, Thank you so much for devoting some time to leave us such a positive feedback. It really means a lot to us that you had a great experience with our company, and we made you feel welcome in our gorgeous country. Morocco is one of the most hospitable countries in the entire world and it always opens Its doors to guests like you to enjoy its beauty and have memorable moments. It fills us with pride when we get such compliments from our guests and know that they are satisfied with... Read more

Hi Asma,

Thank you so much for devoting some time to leave us such a positive feedback.

It really means a lot to us that you had a great experience with our company, and we made you feel welcome in our gorgeous country. Morocco is one of the most hospitable countries in the entire world and it always opens Its doors to guests like you to enjoy its beauty and have memorable moments. It fills us with pride when we get such compliments from our guests and know that they are satisfied with the service we provide. All the members of our team will be happy to read your kind words especially your driver Karim.

Looking forward to serving you again in our Moroccan Kingdom.

Best,
Abdel

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