Kimkim Trip Reviews

First I’ll say that Harris is wonderful. From the beginning he worked so well with me and was so patient during the back and forth planning process. He kept in mind our budget but still was able to fit in everything that we requested.

Florence was the first city we visited. Our day trip to Sienna and the cooking class were the highlights! The city of Florence was beautiful and historic. Highly recommend seeing if you live history and art. Our accommodations at Hotel Ottantotto were not in the city center but for us they were in a perfect location. It was within walking distance to all the main attractions of the city but still in a less busy part of town with wonderful restaurants very close by.

Next we went to Naples by train. We had a seamless day of travel planned by Harris. I will say that Naples was our least favorite city we visited; however, our accommodations at the Amadomus Luxury Suites made up for the city not being our favorite. The city is overwhelming with people and vehicles and so dirty but our suite was our own personal retreat! It was nice to just be able to spend time relaxing in a very high tech and plush hotel suite. The view of Mt. Vesuvius from the room was also a nice perk! The highlight from this part of the trip was our day trip to Pompeii and Herculaneum! Highly recommend seeing those sites with a private knowledgeable guide.

The final part of our trip was spent touring the Amalfi Coast. We stayed in Sorrento at an apartment with Marina Piccola 73 and the view from our balcony was stunning. Perfect location! We spent 4 days exploring and relaxing on the coast. Highly recommend this location. For future travelers we would probably recommend skipping Naples and taking a day trip from Sorrento to Pompeii since it is still very close. You have to take a day trip to Capri and see the blue grotto and jumping in the freezing Mediterranean off of the boat on our final day of the trip is a memory we’ll always cherish.

This trip was perfect for us. All of the transitions between cities were seamlessly planned. Our accommodations were all great for the locations we were in. There were plenty of great recommendations for places to visit and eat in our detailed trip plan for each city. And the Kimkim team was super responsive during our trip when we had questions and needed help. We cannot recommend planning your vacation through this site enough and if you get the chance to work with Harris you won’t be disappointed!

Hotel Reviews

Marina Piccola 73

Sorrento

We stayed in the apartment with this hotel. While the room wasn’t the newest and most updated we stayed in, it was clean and the view was amazing. We also appreciated having a washing machine during the final days of our 12 day vacation. Perfect location in the middle of the marina.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They were so helpful! They even helped coordinate with Kimkim a nurse coming to the hotel to perform a Covid test for us to travel back to the US the day before our departure.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amadomus Luxury Suites Naples

Naples

This hotel is so plush. Very modern and high tech. We spent several hours watching Netflix from the bathtub on a mirror TV in the bathroom. Our view included Mt. Vesuvius.

Tips for future travelers

Do it!

Authenticity & Character

Very modern.

Location

Easy to walk to the touristy streets.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ottantotto Hotel Florence

Florence

Our only complaint from this hotel is that the air conditioner didn’t work. We were able to sleep with the windows open but otherwise it would have been a miserable hot 4 nights sleep. The location was perfect for us and the room was nice and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was away from the busy city center. Great restaurants within a 5 minute walk. Still close enough to walk to the sites in Florence.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC had not been service for the season yet. Very hot and stuffy in our room.

Activity Reviews

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Sorrento

This was our favorite day of the trip. We loved the boat ride and being able to swim from the boat! The atmosphere was perfect from the views, to the music on board, to the free flowing Prosecco!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked out of our building and could see the spot where we boarded our boat in the marina.

Pompeii and Herculaneum Tour

Italy

We had a private tour which I highly recommend. He was able to take us to places that weren’t overly populated within Pompeii and he was very knowledgeable about both cities we visited.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giuseppe was a wonderful guide for the day.

Transport

Tuscan Cooking Class

Florence

This was a good experience; however if given the funds, opportunity and time to do again I would choose a different type of experience. This was in a cooking school so the charm of taking a cooking class in Tuscany was missing. We chose this due to our budget and Harris worked with us extensively to pick the perfect menu and stay within our budget.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chianti Wine & Olive Oil Tour from Florence

Florence

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Robi was an excellent guide and driver. He took us places we never would have found on our own. We had delightful visits to wineries, including some small off the beaten path ones. Those interactions with the owners and wine makers were interesting, informative and inspiring. The lovely village of Ston turned out to be a hidden gem that brought us close to the culture of Croatia. Thanks for a memorable trip.

We had a wonderful tour of Italy. From the start Fabio was responsive, informative, and easy to work with. He helped plan an itinerary that allowed us to visit multiple destinations without feeling like we were rushing from one place to another. He also helped arrange tours and activities for all the members of our party from our youngest (10), to our two teenagers (14), and my wife and I. There was something for everyone and enough time left over for us to do some exploring on our own. Our concierge, Barbara, and local guides were all top notch (professional, informative, and fun). Overall a wonderful experience, with great memories.

Our trip was really amazing and largely because of the Kimkim services. The planning was perfect for us. Hotels were small and unique and so focused on customer service; planned tours and programs were excellent, perfectly matched for us; the transport to and from airports, trains and hotels was just the best. Everything hassle free. We will definitely use kimkim for planning our next trip.

It was our first time using a travel agency, and the entire process was seamless. Our local specialist Harris came up with an itinerary that fit our interests and the pace that we had in mind for the trip. The logistics were well-coordinated and the kimkim team's communication was prompt and responsive. We really appreciated having the kimkim team's 24/7 support while we were on the trip and loved all of Harris's recommendations and the tours that we went on. Overall, it was a great experience and we would be happy to plan another trip through kimkim in the future.

Hotel Review

Abelonas Retreat Sunset & Sunrise Lodgings

Santorini

The hotel staff was extremely friendly and helped us get oriented to Santorini. We loved relaxing by the pool, the views of the sunset, and of course enjoying the breakfast that was delivered every morning to the patio of our room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Santorini Farm Tour: Food & Wine

Santorini

Wonderful experience. Our driver and tour guide were both very friendly and knowledgeable. We tasted great wines, learned about the history of Santorini (with regards to the agriculture), and got to cook traditional food from the island. The experience ended with a final glass of wine and an amazing view of the sunset.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First time experience with kimkim and Sharon and I’ll come back for customized tours. Sharon was responsive at every point, during the build of the trip in Morocco and when we changed some items on the fly such as when when we were not happy with the quality of a ‘remote’ and rural hotel. The tour guides were all high quality and our driver throughout our 14 day tour Yassine was exceptional. He was a very safe driver traversing the Atlas Mountains, was very friendly and ensured we were happy at every turn. We felt very safe and relaxed with Yassine at the helm. Look forward to using kimkim again and highly recommend Sharon and her Moroccan team.

Linda was a fabulous tour guide who made our Ireland holiday a GRAND adventure! She was a font of Irish knowledge and we learned so much from her. She was so attentive to details and was very patient and kind with each of our requests.
My favorite day was the day that Linda took us to the town of Glin to visit the O'Shaughnessy pub and the little shanty where my great-great grandfather O'Shaughnessy lived. It was wonderful to learn more about my Irish heritage. I also enjoyed my tour of Kylemore Abbey which was a welcomed change from all of the hiking. All of our accommodations were very nice, and the various innkeepers were so welcoming.
I will treasure the memories of our family Ireland trip forever and will always be grateful to Linda for making our experience truly amazing.

We were pleased with the accommodations and tours suggested for our trip. The hotel locations were great, and the tour guides professional, helpful, knowledgeable, and fun. Our specialist was a wonderful lifeline as we navigated our international travel, available 24/7 and responsive whenever we encountered a challenge. It was wonderful peace of mind to know Andrijana was there for us.

Hotel Review

Palace Hotel Lake Como

Como

Our favorite on our northern Italy trip. Beautiful, spacious room. Amazing view. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sigurta Park Bike Rental & Picnic

Italy

Our guide was knowledgeable and fun. What a wonderful way to experience the area. The bikes were high quality. The picnic was lovely, great food. Highly recommend tours with Fabio.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milano Fashion Tour

Milan

Our guide was gracious and knowledgeable. She helped with our shopping and lunch ideas. It was a beautiful tour, a high point of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

For someone who has so much anxiety - travelling alone can be very stressful and scary! I thought joining a group tour with set destinations with the same people was a great idea. When the tour got cancelled I was ready to postpone it to another year until I came across The Kimkim Team. I sent an inquiry then a representative called to get more information of my interest so they can connect me with a local agent. Everything was seamless and fast and easy.
I was connected to Rebecca just in time when the plane fare from Canada was on sale. Asked Rebecca to work with my dates with the wishlists that I gave. Impressively Rebecca came back within 48 hours with a very detailed itinerary with suggestions for activities that can be customized to my liking. That was mid March 2022 and I left for Greece on May 6, 2022. All were perfectly executed!
I just came back from Greece a week ago and it was everything I could hope for. As a first time solo traveller I was not scared. First I have Rebecca to support me whenever I have questions or doubts in my trips and there were many calls and she was always there even to the last activity where I was supposed to do a hike but due to blisters I got from another hike - Rebecca was able to find a solution so I can still see Balos beach without hiking. The team she had organized for me were all professionals and each one of them has exceeded my expectations even when I request something like take me to restaurants where the locals go.
Thank you Kimkim team and Rebecca for my unforgettable bucketlist solo trip.

Hotel Review

Ilio Maris Hotel

Mykonos

Amazing staff! Clean and beautiful hotel. Very convenient- 5 minutes walk to Mykonos town. Sunset view from my room was unobstructed and beautiful!

Tips for future travelers

Ask for a sunset view room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Athens - Twilight Tour of Athens with Food & Drinks

Athens

Theo my guide for my private tour was amazing, bubbly and knowledgeable. He took me to restaurants and bars that were authentic and beautiful and amazing food and drinks! Theo walked me home (10min walk) to make sure I'm home safe. The whole night felt like I was with a friend exploring the city!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In 2020 we had planned a two week vacation in Greece, but Covid delayed our plans. Dec 2021 we decided to get started planning again. My wife and I enjoy food, wine and seeing ancient sites so we planned Athens, the ancient town of Akrotiri on Santorini and the island of Crete. A friend of ours worked with Angela and so we asked her to help arrange our tours and transportation to and from the airport.
In Athens, our guide was Eleni and she did a great job in showing us the archeological museum and Plaka. We walked on our own in Plaka and near the Acropolis.
On Santorini, our guide was Yannis who showed took us on a tour of the old towns from Oia all the way to Akritiri. There is great wine in Santorini which comes from grapes which grow in the islands volcanic soil. On our own walked through Oia, Fira and down to the lighthouse at Akrotiti, and we had wine tastings at Aroma Avlis (where we also had an incredible dinner the night before) and Sigalas Winery. We skipped some of the bigger wineries but there are maybe 20 more on Santorini.
On Crete, which is filled with olive groves, Alexander showed us the Eastern part of Crete with a visit to an olive oil factory and we toured as far south as the Libyan sea. Nikolas and our driver Thasos took us on a tour of the western part of Crete from Chania over the mountains to the south overlooking the Libyan sea. On our own we walked through the old towns in Heraklion, Chania and Rethimno.
We rented a car on both Santorini and Crete so the days after the tours we drove to some of our favorite places. The Minoan archeological site in Akriti and the Archeological museum in Chania were among our favorites and should not be missed.
I think guided tours are a great way to get a feel for a place when you have limited time, but you also need time on your own to explore. We had four organized tours which was perfect.

Hotel Review

Oniro City

Athens

Fabulous hotel, walking distance to old town in Plaka and the Acropolis. While in an old building, hd interior of the hotel was completely redone with a fabulous shower, bed and pillow. We had a great dinner at Frankie, 1/2 block away.

Location

Great non touristy restaurants, but close enough to Plaka.

Staff

Super friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillow was smazing

Activity Review

East Crete Secrets Off the Beaten Track: Through the Eyes of Locals from East

Greece

Eduardo did a fantastic job booking our trip! We particularly loved Caye Caulker and Antigua!
It was amazing exploring the Mayan ruins and hearing the local guides explain the Mayan culture.

Hotel Review

Jan's Hotel

Caye Caulker

Great hotel in a fantastic location. Clean and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

On the beachfront, easy walking distance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Snorkeling Tour in the Belize Barrier Reef

Caye Caulker

Amazing snorkelling, great staff and the food was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I loved the entire trip! We built a busy itinerary, but we ample time to experience everything with sufficient time. Im so glad and lucky to have had Ahmed as a driver! He really made the experience what it was and took it to the next level. He made me feel safe and had awesome recommendations and guidance to provide. Samir helped plan the trip efficiently, stayed in contact and was readily available when needed. I would recommend Samir and Ahmed to anyone planning to make a trip to Jordan! Must haves.

KimKim did a fabulous job for my sister and me on our Italian Lake Country trip. They arranged everything within the price range we gave them and were with us every step of the way including when we missed our train exit!!! Any time we had a question or issue along the way we received an immediate response and help - I felt we were in very safe and knowledgeble hands.
Highlights were our fashion tour in Milan, our stay in Sirmione which included a fabulous bike trip with Fabio.

Thanks KimKim for a wonderful trip!

Nancy Douglas

Hotel Review

Olivi Thermae & Natural Spa

Sirmione

I loved everything about this hotel. The only problem was the bed and pillows were just a bit too hard. The spa experience was great and location was perfect. I loved being able to stroll down to the village in five minutes and then get out of the fray on top of the hill with a gorgeous view. I especially loved their big dog that hung out at the entrance to greet you!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spa pool and hotel grounds.

Activity Review

Sigurta Park Bike Rental & Picnic

Italy

Fabio was fantastic! He was very patient with me as I am not an avid bike rider. He was very knowledgeable about the region and just a fun person to be around.

Quality of Experience

Food

The picnic at the park was wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful for a first time visitor! Antonis made our honeymoon so logistically pleasant. We picked out a great balance of activities and free time which is something not all travel companies can offer. If you are going on an international vacation kimkim is a great option.

Hotel Review

Sophia Luxury Suites

Santorini

Virginia was so lovely and helpful. I booked a yoga class which was such an amazing add on. The view here can’t be beat.

Tips for future travelers

Know that water isnt potable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Sailing Yacht Cruise to Rhenia Island & Delos

Mykonos

Our guide was wonderful and we had the most pleasant time walking around the ruins. Great lunch as well onboard

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Deborah (AKA the Debz), was such a joy to work with. She coordinated travel for my honeymoon which included stops in Johannesburg, Cape Town, the Winelands, Chobe, Victoria Falls, Kruger and Zanzibar. A trip we coined "Beach Wine Safari." She answered all my questions, big and small, leading up to our trip. Deborah really listened to what we wanted to get out of the trip and made all our dreams come true. She is extremely knowledgeable. Additionally, throughout our trip she was immediately responsive. Setting expectations was very important to us and even though things do not always go as planned, we really had a seamless travel experience. We had the pleasure of meeting Deborah in person as well. She went above and beyond by using her personal contacts to ensure we had the best possible experience. I enthusiastically recommend her for all your Africa travel needs.

This is the first time I’ve used a travel agent and absolutely everything ran smoothly. From our driver, Eduardo, in Buenos Aires to our guides Rodolfo in Iguazu and Ramiro in Mendoza, everything ran like clockwork. Our visit to breathtaking Iguazu Falls was fun and informative; on our second day we did a bike and kayak trip with Alejandro and Nadia, and was definitely the highlight of our time in Iguazu. In Mendoza, we had two enjoyable and informative days with Ramiro at several wineries. On our third day, we were supposed to visit Puente del Inca and do a short hike in the Andes, but motion sickness got the best of me and we had to abort those plans on our way up.

Working with Natalia to plan this trip was a pleasure, she was very responsive and provided us with a customized the trip that was exactly what we wanted. We are looking forward to working with Natalia on our next trip to Argentina.

Hotel Review

O2 Hotel Iguazú

Puerto Iguazú

Very nice hotel, great breakfast, great location. Would stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Relatively new hotel

Location

Walking distance to restaurants, bars, and shopping.

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable

Activity Review

Uco Valley Wine Country

Mendoza

The wineries are just beautiful. The wine tastings were informative (and delicious). Lunch was also excellent.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful scenery and winery

Food

Outstanding food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, winery staff, driver—everyone was helpful and informative

Transport

We had a private driver.

The itinerary planned for us was tailored to our interests. The guided excursions included hikes that allowed us to see amazing landscapes that you can’t get from a highway pull off. Our guides Damion of Ice Explores and Omar of South Coast Adventures gave us insight to the ever changing Iceland landscape and the history of its population. The links included in the itinerary were very helpful. The driving plan link to google maps along with Apple car play made finding our way around Iceland stress free. our favorite hotel of the trip was the Magma. This trip qualified as a check mark on our bucket list. We walked on glacier, saw seals swimming around icebergs , soaked in a geothermal river, walked up to a lava field, hiked into canyons where scenes from The Game of thrones was filmed, watched 10pm sunsets, gagged on fermented shark and much more.

Will

Our trip was fantastic! The trip started badly with one of the worst aircraft delays I have ever experienced (24 hour delay with 12 hours sitting on plane). We were worried about meeting our driver at 12am as the flight kept getting pushed, as well as missing our morning tours, and being too late for hotel check in. Our local specialist, Brittany, however, made the experience easy and she ensured our driver was waiting for us (even with the delay), that our hotel knew we would be very late, and cancelled our morning tour on our request. The rest of the trip was amazing-we are passionate about wildlife and Brittany's suggested tours were perfect! We saw sloths, toucans, monkeys, crabs, snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, dolphins, deer, and so much more all in the wild. My son really enjoyed the night sloth tour, the hike through the Cloud Forest, and snorkeling off the catamaran. We had a great time and will be definitely going back!

Hotel Review

Hotel Belmar

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Sloth Discovery Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide was so outgoing and knowledgeable! She was great with my son and helped us spot so many creatures we wouldn't normally have seen. My family enjoyed learning about the animals, plants and insects and appreciated hearing about our guides childhood and life in Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I and my daughter had a great vacation with lots of fun adventures. Linda was wonderful and helped with the planning of the trip. Liz was our contact in the Galapagos and was a great source of information and helpful with some of the last minute changes and requests! Sebastian was our guide in Quito and Cotopaxi - - very reliable, personable, and lots of local information!

Samir was absolutely wonderful to work with in planning our trip to Jordan. He was extremely responsive and answered all of my questions and requests for changes quickly and kindly. While we were on the trip he responded to a few minor questions/concerns we had quickly to ensure our holiday was amazing. We had an amazing vacation thanks to Samir and those wonderful tourism professionals he aligned us with! Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Memories Aicha Luxury Camp

Wadi Rum

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petra Guest House

Wadi Musa

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Activity Review

Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport