Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our consultant, Tom Christer, planned a remarkable trip for us. From start to finish, we travelled by bus, boat, train and car taking in Norway’s special grandeur of mountains, fjords and seascapes.
We arrived in time for National Day and thoroughly enjoyed being part of the celebration.
A real highlight was our time in the Lofoten Islands and then going up to Andenes. Puffins, sea eagles and orcas plus the scenic fishing villages provided daily delight.
I can’t say enough good things about Tom, who is so responsive and helpful.
I’ve travelled widely and this trip exceeded my expectations.

Hotel Reviews

Oslo Guldsmeden

Oslo

Absolutely charming. Excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

A view to die for. Helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Excellent location . Historic charm. Helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Wonderful location, staff, food. All first rate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Britannia Hotel

Trondheim

A truly grand old hotel. Famed for their breakfast buffet and rightly so.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Svinøya Rorbuer

Svolvær

Beautiful location. Great food. Our two story cottage with a comfy living room was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Havet

Bodø

A good place to stay before heading to Lofoten. Hotel restaurant had an excellent server and quite good food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

The location and charm were perfect. Very good dining but I wish they would take whale meat off the menu.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skagakaia

Bø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Marmelkroken

Risøyhamn

A beautiful location with grand ocean views. Comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

Great option for staying at the airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Proximity to airport.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Full Day Geiranger Fjord Cruise

Ålesund

Trollfjord & Eagle Boat Tour

Norway

Summer Whale Watching in Andenes

Norway

The trip was absolutely amazing and Marija did a fabulous job at coordinating all of our activities and meeting time for drivers! Everything went smoothly and couldn’t have asked for more 💕

We had the most incredible trip. Marta communicated with us almost weekly until we left for the trip so were informed and felt prepared. We collaborated to create the itinerary, but she picked great hotels and tours that made our trip even more special. Some of the highlights were our private tour guide in Siena, our apartment in Florence, Mariel & the food tour in Rome, and our farm stay hotel outside of Sorrento. We felt that we were able to see and do so much, while having the perfect amount of days in each city. Throughout our trip, Marta and Jessica were proactive in sending our driver details for the next day and their contact details information. We will definitely be using this service on future trips. Thank you again for giving my family the trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dell'Opera

Venice

The staff was incredibly friendly and the included breakfast each morning was delicious. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to walk to dinner spots and tours destinations

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Relais Regina Giovanna

Sorrento (Na)

The property is so so gorgeous. All of the staff were very professional and eager to help. The only downside was that dinners weren’t great, but breakfast service was delicious and they have a free hourly shuttle to Sorrento where you could grab dinner instead.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Alfani al David

Florence

Right across from the accademia. A little loud during the day, but quiet at night. Valeria and Francesca met us upon check in and gave us some great local recommendations. Large space, yet very homey.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Group Tour

Rome

It’s a must do, but that place is really crowded. Would have liked longer to explore the museum, but they keep people moving - not a flaw of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Small Group Tour of Colosseum Underground, Arena and Forum

Rome

You definitely need to be in shape to do this tour. It is a fast paced walk around the Roman forum, but there is so much to see in a short amount of time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gondola ride

Venice

Must do in venice

Quality of Experience

Hidden Venice Walking Tour

Venice

To be honest, this was fine for us. We didn’t really remember it after the fact, but enjoyed ourselves during it.

Rome: Foodie Walking Tour of Campo de Fiori Market and Roman Neighborhoods

Rome

Definitely a highlight of the trip. The guide was really informative and took us to some great stops. They had a cookbook and restaurant guide that they sent afterwards too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Capri in a Day by boat

Italy

This was so much fun, but if you have a big group, would be better to get your own boat instead of sharing with others as it does get a bit cramped.

Tuscany: San Gimignano & Siena Day Trip

Italy

Wish we had more time in Siena, what a hidden gem! Our tour guide was a local and had so much knowledge to share. Definitely a highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pedro has been an incredible asset to our wonderful trip to Portugal! From the beginning in the planning stages and all through the process, this vacation has been wonderful. We were treated to first class private transportation services that were on time, personable and highly informative, especially Carlos. The Mercedes vans were new and very comfortable. The tours that Pedro organized for us were incredible as well as each hotel stay. Overall, our 12 day adventure was over the top exceptional! Thank you!

Matilde put a prefect trip together for me and my granddaughter. All her suggestions were spot on and we enjoyed all our hotels and breakfasts at the cities she chose for us. Our trip was independent but with tours and suggestions for how to get around, restaurants and places to see and explore. It was easy to switch things up to accommodate the weather so everyday we had a plan and something to do. Thank you for a wonderful trip!

My family spent 10 fun filled days in Australia. Siena and Greg were amazing at booking activities that meet all of our requests and kept us active. We started in Brisbane touring with Steve from Croc Tours out to Australia Zoo then visited a surf club for local prawns and beer. Then to Cairns for rainforest touring and tubing with our private guide Jordy. All of our guides were so friendly and patient with our kids. We spent time at the Great Barrier Reef then wrapped up in Melbourne with the historic Puffing Billy Steam Train and snuck in a wine country and chocolate factory visit with our guide Dylan. Everyone we meet went above and beyond to make our trip memorable. The hotels selected for us met all our needs and desires and were conveniently located within the cities. Many meals were included with our activities so we didn’t have to spend a fortune in country on meals. Siena’s suggestions for self guided exploration were spot on to satisfy my desire to see local wildlife and the sights and sounds of eastern Australia. We were able to do and see so much!

Hotel Reviews

Rydges Melbourne Hotel

Melbourne

This was by far my favorite hotel of our trip. The breakfast is phenomenal for visitors from all over the world. The location is great, near theaters, shopping and great dining. Hotel is gorgeous, rooms are spacious and the roof top pool really was a great convenience to have traveling with children.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Convenient to so much of the city, historic buildings, culture centers, botanic gardens.

Staff

Everyone was happy to help with everything from check in to meal services.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Incredibly clean, well maintained.

Amora Hotel Brisbane

Spring Hill

Conveniently located near Central station with access to the whole city. Beautiful parks near by and great dining options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was attentive and always happy to help with questions and requests.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Whole hotel was very clean and well kept.

Mantra Esplanade

Cairns

This hotel is a little older but a nice place to stay due to location and generous room size plus laundry machines in suite. This allowed us to clean up after our rainforest trekking and reef adventure. Very short walk to some great sites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Short walk to reef tours and exceptional dining options. Also right in front of a local grocery store which is a great money saver due to fridge and cooking appliances in room.

Staff

Hotel is very self-serve, no room cleaning during stay, but all staff were friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel is a little older and there was a wall leak that opened during our stay in the hallway to our room. Looking at other accommodations in the area and given what was available in rooms it would not stop me from staying here again. Everything was very clean at check in.

Activity Reviews

Tangalooma Island Resort Full Day Marine Discovery Day Cruise

Brisbane

Visiting in winter it was cold and windy and many activities were initially canceled then resumed later in the day. Not much to see on the glass bottom boat maybe due to season… we ended up booking an ATV tour which was not planned but filled time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Good variety of options. Reasonable prices, great bar.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Really enjoyed the ferry to the island and back. The captains were friendly and humorous.

Australia Zoo & Mooloolaba Beach Day Trip

Brisbane

Australia Zoo is a place I have wanted to see for decades. It did not disappoint. Beautiful spacious facility. Had a great time with a private guide for Mooloolaba area. Surf Club was a really great chance to learn more about local culture.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful place to visit.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Drivers were entertaining and asked questions to ensure we enjoyed our experience.

Transport

Nice clean vehicles, but 1.5 hours on a bus was a little tough.

Mossman Gorge Day Trip with River Drift Experience

Port Douglas

This was one of the most amazing experiences of our trip. Absolutely beautiful forest and wonderful guide Jordy.

Quality of Experience

Food

The restaurant we visited during this trip was the absolute best meal of our trip. It was a little diner with a lot of food options. We had burgers, and a wrap. Not sure if it was just the amount of physical activity before lunch but I swear the food was incredible.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reef & Fitzroy Island Day Tour

Australia

The reef was worth every second of the bumpy boat ride ( we had a bad weather day) not normally like that. We saw thousands of first and corals, giant clams and sea turtles. Breathtaking experience for the kids.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food variety was very simple and catered it seemed towards middle eastern or Indian foods. As adults we found things we could enjoy but our children just ate rolls and fruit.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Visit to Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens

Melbourne

I would recommend this to any visitor to Melbourne. It was incredible and the wildlife in and around the park was so neat to see.

Quality of Experience

The size and variety of the garden is unique, coming from America it was hard to believe we could see it for free!

Overall, I thought Svetlana did a great job of pointing us in the right direction for attractions and restaurants. She gave us realistic expectations and insight. Communication was a little delayed which was sometimes frustrating since we were planning the trip in 6 weeks. Every message took about 24 hours to respond to, but I think she did the best she could with her availability. We really loved our trip and would only change one or two things in hindsight.

Anna Maria put together an amazing trip for our family! We are so grateful! Her plan for our trip was exactly what we wanted, but she also helped us change a few things during our trip. We felt like we were traveling with our own personal concierge!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Korsal

Korčula

Very nice room and a short walk to old town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Marmont Heritage - Adults Only

Split

Beautifully renovated modern hotel inside the palace walls. I would highly recommend!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Inside the palace walls!

Staff

Anna was amazing helping us with transfers and tours!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beach Bay Hvar

Hvar

Beautiful views of the harbor! Clean and spacious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Hi

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kompas

Dubrovnik

Incredible views!

Authenticity & Character

Location

A 10 minute uber to old town. Amazing views. Right on the boardwalk.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Krka National Park with wine tasting

Croatia

The waterfalls were great! A truly wonderful day for the family. The wine tasting was amazing, too!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Split Food Tour

Split

We loved this trip! So much history, and awesome food stops to boot!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sunset sailing Pakleni islands tour

Hvar

Dominic was a wonderful captain and host!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue and Green Caves Speedboat Tour

Hvar

Best day of our trip! The captain and mate were great with Croatian history and geography. Very intersting and entertaining day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class - Pick up from garden, prepare and eat

Dubrovnik

Loved the day! And our hosts were fantastic!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-day Trip to the Elafiti Islands

Dubrovnik

Awesome day, awesome Captain. We swam in a blue cave and visited some beautiful villages.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were so impressed with the detailed organization of our trip and giving attention to our likes and desires with planned side excursions. Nikola kept in touch with us daily and all transfers, ticketing, tours were seamless and on time. It’s hard to choose one thing as outstanding but Plitvice Lakes was magical. Kortula our favorite destination and all tour guides were knowledgeable and friendly. What a clean and beautiful country.

Hotel Review

Vila Nepos

Split

We loved this hotel. Located in the heart of the palace and had space for us to sprawl out a bit. It gives the feel of living back in the day with modern amenities.

Authenticity & Character

The mirror opened up to a closet

Location

In the palace walls

Staff

They helped bring our luggage from the car drop off.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Island of Hvar Tour With Local Guide (Afternoon)

Hvar

We loved traveling inward to see how the local people live. Our guide was full of history and information and the wine tasting at his 350 year old estate was special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Boat Tour to Blue Cave & Pakleni Islands

Croatia

We had such a lovely day and experience here. Luckily the cave was open and the beauty of it does not disappoint. We were taken to private beaches to swim where it was just us and the few with us in the group. The water is so clean and the surrounding islands so pretty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Konavle Region Culinary Experience (small group)

Croatia

We loved the drive inland again up cliffs showing the dramatic backdrop of the castle and Dubrovnik. This family is so welcoming and the gardens divine. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Working with KimKim to create a special birthday holiday to Greece for my wife's birthday was one of the best decisions that I could have made. The team that we worked with up-front was fantastic in terms of working on all the details and then the team in country to help support us while we were on the trip was just as great. The experiences they recommended and guides they chose were all outstanding. A 10 out of 10 all the way around.

Aleksandra was always available to answer my questions when asked.

We got picked up by a normal taxi service at the airport. I was very concerned because was not normal based on my previous travels with KimKim travel and based on what I requested. The driver told us we need to pay for toll or go the long way. We went the long way because we did not have a clue what was happening. On our return home, we opt to pay the toll because it was quicker. The taxi picked us up and did mention we had to pay it if we wanted to get to the airport on time. I was not expecting a normal taxi to be my means of transportation for this trip.

My driver Mick that drove us to the cliffs of Moher was phenomenal. He came to get us with the preferred car service we expected from Kimkim. He was very informative and gave turn by turn commentary of the city of Dublin. Hene, we requested him for a second tour.

Mydie was good and then some. I would suggest she used a company owned vehicle instead of her persona car to take tourist on a trip. The car smelled of cigars which made it hard to breath. Considering the drive was over 4 hours each way, it caused us to feel sick, and the ride was overall uncomfortable. Mydie is really nice and would make this trip even better only if she has a better means of transportation.

The hotel was amazing, the safe was great, the restaurant was good, and I would go back to this hotel or recommend it to anyone traveling to Dublin.

Overall, great trip love Dublin.

Hotel Review

The Leinster

Dublin

Best hotel, great staff, the bar was good, and the cocktail were good

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blarney Castle and Cork City Private Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Guinness Brewery Experience

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the EPIC Interactive Museum & Jeanie Johnson Famine Ship

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dublin Private Walking Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Howth Coastal Half-Day Bus Tour from Dublin with Live Guide

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliffs of Moher Small Group Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough & Kilkenny Tour

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The overall trip was smooth and hassle-free—just the way I had envisioned it. Arianna was incredibly patient and accommodating, customizing the itinerary to fit my preferences perfectly. The local agents stayed in constant touch throughout, which allowed me to focus on enjoying the experience rather than managing logistics or the daily schedule. They were also flexible with last-minute adjustments, which was a huge help as I was traveling with my two kids who needed extra attention. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience—this is my second time planning a trip with KimKim, and it’s always a delight. If you’re looking for a stress-free, well-organized vacation that still lets you see and do as much as possible in a short time, KimKim is the way to go. It’s something I’ll always cherish!

Hotel Reviews

The Guardian Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Cesare Augusto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Canaletto

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Residenza Fiorentina

Firenze

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Condominio Monti Boutique Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B L'Orto Delle Terme Bagno Vignoni

Bagno Vignoni

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lunch and wine experience in Montepulciano*

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour to Pisa, Siena and San Gimignano with Lunch & Wine Tasting

Florence

It was a group of about 80 people. While the experience was good overall, it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for—I was expecting a more relaxed pace and a deeper opportunity to explore the place. But with time we had the places we covered in a day..I would say it was a good tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Excursion to Cinque Terre: the Scent of the Sea

Florence

Rome Pasta-Making Class

Rome

Amalfi coast boat tour from Sorrento (Amalfi & Positano)

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome in a Day: Skip the Line Vatican Tour & Colosseum

Rome

Half-day Capri Boat tour from Sorrento*

Amalfi Coast

The tour guide Nicola was awesome !!!!!

Our Driver/Guide, Reda, was amazing!! Without his advice, guidance and generosity of his time with us, our experiences in the beautiful country of Morocco would not have been half as spectacular.
Every tour guide in the cities we visited were A+.
In all, Kim Kim , along with Original Travels , the local Tour Company in Morocco were beyond fabulous!!

Guys,
The trip was great for the most part.
The driver that met us at the Dublin Airport was super, even though the plane was 2.5 hours late.
All the hotels were wonderful! Very high marks indeed!
Now some bad news:
The black taxi tour in Belfast was not in a black taxi but a giant van.
The tour guide, Tony was awesome, but in your itinerary, it was stated to be a three-hour tour. It was only 40 minutes and was rushed as Tony had another tour immediately after us.
Now the really bad part: I will NEVER EVER rent a car from Europcar again! I strongly hope you consider your relationship with them. First, the agent at the Dublin center at the pier, did not speak English very well, he was eastern European we believe, and would not let us talk to someone else. All he did from the moment we walked in the door, was try to upsell us to a luxury car. And the then through intimidation, he tried to upsell us on added insurance. (Had I fell for it the added insurance it would have added more than 1000 Euros to the bill.)
After that he would not help connect my iPhone to the on-board nav, I had to fine a Europcar maintenance guy to help us. (He was nice.) The car we ended up was fine, but we needed to stop EVERY day to fill the tires with air, all four were leaking. We stopped at the Europcar agency in LetterKenny (They were closed, everyone was out for lunch) and Sligo, at least they sent us to a local tire shop that was too busy to work on the car that day, so we took a chance and keep filling the tires. Frankly, Europcar service was totally unacceptable.
All and all a very good trip and we certainly will use Kimkim again.
Thank you so much for a great vacation.
Larry and Pam

Sandy was able to fulfill all the requests we asked of her. The responses to e mails was exceptional.
The accommodation was varied in style ,with all of them being excellent. Highly recommend the Miyako City in Osaka, Ryokan Koho in Kyoto, Metroploitan in Sendi and Shibya Excel in Tokyo. All for different reasons. The Kanazawa Zoushi and Hotel Wood in Takayama were also unique. We could not have managed such unique stays on our own.
Thanks Sandy for all the train bookings. Each trip was wonderful, and seating could not have been better. We managed to have luggage room on all trips and did not need to "on send" our luggage. All vouchers and tickets for tours and travel arrived well in time for the experience. The one time we had to book train tickets on our own-we had a minor issue. It pays to use the professionals!!
The suggestions for free time were invaluable -as we did them all.
The private drivers ,although most had limited English ,added their own uniqueness to each day.
High lights for me were:
Nara park
Bike ride in Kyoto(so many cherry blossoms),
Full day bus trip with Kaci in Kyoto, Sunrise Tours. Kaci was one of the best tour guides-so knowledgeable and witty.
Matsushima bay cruise - Despite the fact that the weather was wet and cloudy
Sky tree in Tokyo
Trip to see Mt Fuji and the visitors/museum on Fuji .This suggested by the driver and well worth the visit.
Hike and chair lift on Mt Takao. Also saw street theatre and musical performances by the ticket office.
Day walk in Kanazawa. The guide- Yasuko- was the best we had.
Bike ride in Hida hagiwara. A long train trip to get there but the young man was knowledgeable and informative. He helped us get a bus back to the hotel due to an unprecedented train delay.
Bus trip to Shirakawago
These least inspiring tour was the Yanaka historical tour in Tokyo- Nezu shine was stunning with the azaleas, however too much time making the maneki-neko cat and not much else.
We also had two hiking tours amongst the time planned with Sandy.(with another tour company) She managed to make it all flow seamlessly. In hind sight I did not realize the number of trains we were catching-however it was the best way to see Japan at its most picturesque-cherry blossom time. We managed to see the blossoms in every town and city at their very best apart from Tokyo. I would highly recommend Sandy and Kim Kim to other travelers.
Big thankyou to Sandy for managing to satisfy all our requests and added suggestions.

Really amazing trip - everything was extremely well organized, and we loved beautiful Morocco with its interesting history and stunning architecture. We had excellent tour guides - Sharif in Fez and our guide in Marrakech (sorry, I don't remember his name) were very knowledgeable and thorough. I especially want to give compliments to our driver Samir - he was truly excellent. He was always on time, always accommodating, as well as truly kind and pleasant. We are very fortunate to have had such an excellent team of professionals helping us with this trip. Thank you!!

The airport transfers were awesome. The hotel was ok. It was one block off a major avenue near a hospital. So, we heard sirens day and night. Paid extra for a balcony and rooftop bar. Being one block off major streets, we were surrounded by taller buildings blocking all views from balcony and roof top bar. No one ever used the rooftop bar in the evenings. Also, no severs were visible to order drinks from, ie useless. Never used! The rooftop bar area was used for breakfast area which was ok. However, breakfast buffet was the same exact food every single morning. No variety or other options given.
The scheduled tours were provided by Liv Tours. All the guides and drivers were excellent and went above and beyond. One guide Ribal who was amazing, remembered us from our tour with him and came over to say « Hi » the following day when we were with another guide from Liv Tours. He (Lou name?) was also great and at the end of our Collosseum tour with him , he summed up our time perfectly ´It was like spending time with family!’
Our Day Trip to Pompeii and Positano was a delight. We were impressed by our guide’s knowledge of Pompeii and could tell she really enjoyed sharing her knowledge and experience with us. We were disappointed kimkim could not book us and advised us against a long day trip by van to Florence & Pisa. I personally don’t like the opaque pricing but I understand it’s typical of travel agencies.

Hotel Review

Hotel Monte Cenci

Rome

It is a nice boutique hotel. I would not say it was 5 stars but charge as one. It is located in a central location. Everything is walkable. However, the hotel has no views from balcony or rooftops bar. No one ever used rooftop bar as it had no servers. The breakfast buffet was identical every day. Staff was excellent! We had room serviced every day and turn down service too. Close to a hospital so sirens noise 24/7.

Authenticity & Character

Small but elevator limited to two guests at a time. Some long wait times.

Location

Walkable but no views!

Staff

Awesome staff and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleaning public areas all the time.

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Visit of Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome

Private tour is the way to visit. More time to ask questions and can spend more time in areas you enjoy. Very crowded so small group is easier to navigate around huge groups.

Quality of Experience

We could ask to see or find items that were of interest to us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ribal our guide was very knowledgeable and knew where to stand to take the best photos.

Private Pompeii & Amalfi Coast Day Tour from Rome

Rome

As a private tour we could go at our own pasce and select where to stop for pictures.

Quality of Experience

Pompeii is huge could spent a whole day there.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver and guide were excellent and experienced. Made everything run smoothly.

Transport

Top notch Mercedes-Benz van. Very spacious and comfortable. Expert driver on tiny little roads.

Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City

Italy

Awesome inside and out. Our guide was excellent and treated us like family. Also suggested the best spots for that prefect picture.

Quality of Experience

Just awesome!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was very knowledgeable and brought along a slide deck (paper PowerPoint) too help explain some items in more detail. I loved it!

We started our trip in Edinburgh. We had an amazing guide Zander who guided us through the old town and Edinburgh Castle. All the history between Scotland and England was fascinating. We also did the Vaults Tour. This was great as well, learning about how people lived in the bridge and even as recently as 2014 the use by a Wiccan coven to practice their witchcraft.

The next day we headed off on our road trip.
Scotland Highlights:
1. Scone Palace which was the first castle we saw that wasn’t a ruin and is still occupied by the current Earl of Mansfield and his family.
2. Loch Ness cruise which was fun. We thought we caught something on video but now realise it was a seal 😬
3. TheHighland Coo Tour. Loved this. We had the best time visiting the coos and feeding the baby sheep they had.
4. Eilean Donan Castle was different being surrounded by water.
5. Isle of Skye. It’s all about the scenery. Absolutely beautiful countryside. The good thing about the Quiraing is you can see everything from the car park or a short walk. You don’t have to do the hikes to see the views
Ireland highlights:
1. Cobh. Beautiful seaside village
2. Ring of Kerry.
a. We absolutely loved exploring Muckross Abbey ruins. So many nooks and crannies.
b. Torc Falls. Something different and beautiful. 10min walk if fit but if you’re like me it’s a hard 20min walk back up but worth it.
c. Ladies View. We had lunch here and admired the view.
d. Derryanne Beach. Just to see a beach was worth it but it has nothing on Australian beaches.
e. Geokaun Mountain
3. Leap Castle - fascinating listening to the owner about how he rebuilt part of the castle to live in.
4. Guinness store - interesting but lots of walking!

Things to note:
1. You have to pay for parking everywhere and card isn’t always catered for so you need coins! So be prepared otherwise you waste a lot of time.
2. Portree was a pretty town but very busy being the main stop for hikers and travellers. So book dinner in advance or be prepared to eat at 5.30.
3. You need to book the ferry in advance to get off Isle of Skye if you want to go to Glenfinnan Viaduct. We missed out on this which was disappointing.
4. Ross Castle only does guided tours and you should book in advance. We got to look through their information room and it was very interesting so would have been good to have done the tour.

We loved the entire country of Norway. It was a pleasure to have secured our hotels, train tickets, ferry tickets and two events (a dinner cruise and a kayaking expedition) . Kimkim provided excellent service and went out of their way to help me retrieve a wind jacket that I inadvertently left on a train; they were able to get it to the train station in my subsequent city. Amazing. They were very responsive to any questions we had and resolved everything quickly.

We loved the three cities: Oslo, Balestrand and Bergen. The train(s) and ferry ride to Balestrand were simply amazing scenery including going through some pretty deep snow (on the train). We truly fell in love with the peacefulness in Balestrand and hated to leave it. We even enjoyed a sauna and plunge into the fjord.

Bergen: I would not recommend the dinner cruise we took from Bergen; the boat ride through the fjord was beautiful, but the meal seemed interminable (4+ hours) and I felt the food was a letdown. The kayak trip was not through fjords but was no less beautiful; the guides made it fun and educational.

Hotel Reviews

Balestrand Hotel

Balestrand

This hotel was cozy and inviting. The walk to a nearby hotel for breakfast was no problem and the breakfast buffet was extensive. The view from our rooms was breathtaking as we could watch the moon rise over the snowcapped mountains and shining into the fjord all the while sitting comfortably on our balcony.

Authenticity & Character

It was not pretentious.

Location

It was easy to walk everywhere. It was high enough to have a magnificent view of the fjord.

Staff

They were all extremely friendly and sincere. None of them were Norwegian but all loved Norway and had great enthusiasm (and great English) for the area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

There is a lot of art work to admire on the walls, It is not super luxurious but we had not requested luxury. We would stay there again.

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

3 stars from its website. Recently renovated. Amazing breakfast buffet and very helpful front desk staff. No AC but we didn't need it once we opened windows. Location is excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Great location for walking everywhere. Our stay overlapped constitution day and it was a great place to be. Very convenient to the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Add more "Norway"

Location

Proximity to train station and many other sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Cecil

Oslo

Good location to the waterfront and Opera House, plus the Eye of Oslo and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided kayak tour

Bergen

The guides made this a wonderful experience. The day was beautiful and everyone on the trip enjoyed paddling around the islands.

Quality of Experience

Food

We were SO hungry when we got back! Everything tasted wonderful!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord Cruise & Seafood Dining Experience

Bergen

We had no trouble locating the starting off place and enjoyed the cruise part very much. Personally, I would not recommend this experience because the meal seemed interminable. The food was interesting and was freshly prepared for each course, but it took 4 hours as we waited a long time between courses. It wasn't made clear that the welcome sparkling wine was not included. Selecting the wine flight that accompanied each course was an extra 100 USD just for 4 glasses of wine.

Quality of Experience

Food

Timing. Better explanation of each course.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed the trip arranged by KimKim and Nadia very much. The process was excellent from start to finish. We really liked our guide Mark who did a great job showing us around for the the time we spent in Cape Town. They were flexible too, when we wanted to add an excursion to Khayelitsha they arranged it with no problem at all. The days we spent in the wine country were very good also. We liked the Winchester Hotel in Cape Town a lot, but the La Fontaine in Franschhoek was really outstanding. About the only quibble i would have is that the stop in Bo-Kaap on the food tour wasn't that great, due to the owner not being available to talk to us about the food and things. The rest of the food tour was excellent though and we enjoyed it very much. I would recommend Kim-Kim to anyone. Some of our group used Kim-Kim on travel to other parts of the world and thought very highly of their experience there as well. Thank you!!