Kimkim Trip Reviews

Melanie was fantastic, a dream to work with. I am looking forward to planning a trip with her again. As with any normal trip, there were some bumps and bruises with a couple of the excursions, due to the tour/guide themselves, not Melanie or KimKim, but overall it was a phenomenal trip and we had a truly fantastic time. I can't thank Melanie enough.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Gardena Venezia

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Doria Palace Boutique Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They were truly wonderful, friendly, and helpful. Took great care of us!

Cleanliness & Comfort

If you like AC control you need to tell the front desk. A lot of stairs, only one person can fit in the elevator.

La Residenza Fiorentina

Firenze

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across the street from the train station so the front view is not beautiful, but the location in terms of getting everywhere is pretty fantastic.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Issue with the AC not working in one of the rooms due to construction.

Central Wellness Hotel Sorrento

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Accademia Gallery tour - skip the line

Florence

Rome Food Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Pompeii Walking Tour with driver half day

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andrew was fantastic!

Transport

Historical Rome walking tour and Colosseum guided Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Venice Walking and Gondola Tour

Venice

Giovanni was fantastic!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence cooking class and market tour - private tour

Florence

One of our favorite parts of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat tour: Fishing and lunch on board

Sorrento

Angela and Luigi are a truly beautiful people, we had the best day with them. They customized the experience for us, interacted with us, cooked amazing food for us, we all felt like old friends when we left them at the end of the day. It was an extraordinary experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour to discover the local artisans workshop experience

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our second trip with KimKim, and once again, it was an absolute 10/10 experience. Our agent, Shona, crafted the perfect 16-day itinerary for our journey through Japan, hitting all the right notes—from four vibrant cities with centrally located (but not overly luxurious per our request) hotels, to a thoughtful mix of landmark tours, delicious food experiences, time in nature, and authentic cultural encounters that deepened our appreciation of Japan. We went on 8 tours and all of the guides chosen were highly experienced and made our trip better. Shona was attentive throughout the planning process, incredibly helpful during the trip, and even provided daily previews to keep us excited and informed. It was seamless, memorable, and exactly what we had hoped for. We can’t recommend KimKim—and especially Shona—highly enough!

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier

Tokyo

Great location, nice rooms, good breakfast options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Hotel Kajikaso

Hakone

Authentic Japanese Experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Thousand Kyoto

Kyoto

Our favorite! Everything is a 10/10!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shibuya Stream Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Must do! So fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

Sounds like it’s seldom Fuji can be seen, so I’m not sure it should be a must-do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour of Arashiyama Bamboo Grove & Sagano Scenic Railway

Kyoto

Could have been a little shorter. Train ride was fun, but it took a while after a long day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kyoto's Cultural Treasures: Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Nijo Castle and Kinkaku-ji

Japan

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

Full Day Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Kegon Falls & Lake Chuzenji Tour

Tokyo

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Wonderful guide and experience, but we would have preferred a small group to talk with people.

Kyoto Bar Hopping Nightlife Tour in Pontocho

Kyoto

Wonderful guide and experience, but we would have preferred a small group to talk with people.

Enjoy a Full Day Tour in Nara

Nara

Full Day Kobe Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and Himeji Castle Tour

Osaka

We were hoping for a sake tasting at the end of museum and to learn more about different types of sake. It was just a small taste of 2.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing Family Vacation!

Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing! Yuliana did a great job of planning out great excursions while giving us plenty of time to relax and explore all while staying within our budget.

We spent 3 night in LaFortuna at the Arenal Country Inn. It was a beautiful property. The rooms were nothing fancy but we loved being walking distance to the town and the breakfast was delicious! While there we did a zip lining tour. There are so many different adventure parks that we passed that all offer zip lining but Yuliana set us up with one that I think has to be one of the best with views of the waterfall and the ability to swim near the waterfall. We also did a volcano hike and went to the hot springs. This was a good excursion but the weather didn’t cooperate for us.

After this we traveled to Playa Hermosa and spent 3 night at Bosque Del Mar. This hotel was amazing! Right on the beach and very small. No having to get up early to save beach chairs. It was quiet and peaceful. If you’re looking for bars or party scene, this is probably not the right place but for our family vacation it was great for us. While there we did a catamaran tour/sunset cruise with snorkeling. The trip with Marlin del ray tours was great - awesome food and drinks.

All transportation that Yuliana arranged arrived on time. I really like how we didn’t have to travel too far for any of the activities. Our catamaran tour that was scheduled for Tuesday was moved to Wednesday- no issue. Kimkim sent me a message and also notified the hotel of the change and they informed us as well.

I’m so happy I used Kimkim. It took all the stress out of planning and I’m sure I could not have planned a better trip. I had 3 very happy teenagers which says a lot!

KimKim has certainly exceeded our expectations! Eirini had a tough job because we came to her after we had picked dates, bought flights and booked a rental car. We had a rough outline of what we wanted and she filled in all the blanks.

The tours she booked were all awesome and the accommodations were perfect. I really appreciated the daily reminders that Annalisa provided once we were in Italy. All arrangements with both guides, hotels, and transportation were seamless and thoughtfully selected. Can’t say enough good things about your service. You made our dream vacation a reality!! WELL DONE!

Working with Yuliana was very easy. She listened to my needs and we worked around my husband’s limited mobility to still have a great vacation. Every pick up, whether it was for a transfer or an activity arrived just when Yuliana told me it would. We were very impressed with the organization and coordination of our vacation from start to finish!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Very basic, but comfortable. Big property, too spread out. Long walk to front desk for excursion pick up. Food okay.

Authenticity & Character

Very basic

Location

We would have liked to be closer to town

Staff

Friendly, but communication gap

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Locanda Samara Beach

Samara

This was our least favorite hotel. The room was dark and damp. There was really nowhere to go and sit during the rain storms other than our room. The dining area had so many flies that it was hard to enjoy our meals. Our room 2B didnt have a safe. My husband had $160 taken from his wallet on our last day there while we were at breakfast. The hotel was in a great location but i wouldn't recommend it for future guests. The horsebackriding excursion on the beach and thru the jungle was the best one that o have ever taken. The hotel excursion gal was super helpful in helping us plan this.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great walking distance to other places to eat that were close by.

Staff

Very slow service in dining area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

More places to sit, other than in our room during rain storms. There was a lot!

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Great hotel! Very cute decor. Nice pool with a swim up bar and hot tub area. There was still some construction at this property but it wasnt a problem. Good breakfast and menu for lunch, snacks or dinner.

Authenticity & Character

The decorations. The cute area that we could hang out and watch the NBA game without being stuck in our room.

Location

Great location. Lots of places to eat other than the hotel right across the street

Staff

The pool waiter. I dont remember his name

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton

San José

Pretty hotel, very comfortable. Great location. Lots to do nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Not much character. Just an upscale place to be before heading home

Location

Great places to eat nearby.

Staff

Very helpful with recommendations

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, quiet and within walking distance of resturants and sights

Activity Reviews

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great guide on the river. Pointed out a lot of wildlife and helped us get good pictures on our cameras. Very knowledgeable!

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very knowledgeable guide, she was funny and made the tour special. Many different station to see , feel and taste the coffee process.

Quality of Experience

Very organized

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, funny and knowledgeable

Transport

On time, AC and clean.

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Beautiful place, amazing setting to have a cocktail and chat with fellow travelers from around the world. Good buffet dinner afterward.

Quality of Experience

Lovely setting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time! Very nice

Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

The two men that led the horseback ride were very good about keeping a close eye on everyone and make sure we were safe. Bratiful ride to the waterfall through the jungle. The walk to the waterfall and back was too strenuous for us to do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I'm not one who gives out 5 stars loosely. This absolutely was a 5-star trip to Croatia. Our specialist Bruno was professional, attentive to our requests, quick to reply and very patient. We spent 9 nights in Croatia with 3 nights each in Dubrovnik, Korcula and Split. Bruno was able to balance our days with tours and activities but also enough down time to relax at a beach or freshen up for a nice meal and evening. We had walking tours in both Dubrovnik (with Ana) and Split (with Mia). Both young ladies were extremely knowledgable about their country's history but also willing and able to answer any questions we had be them history related or not. We were thrilled to hear that Mia would also be our guide for a trip to Krka National Park. Mia's energy and personality is both refreshing and enviable. George, our tour guide on Korcula took us around the island and was a delight. We really enjoyed his stories. We took the ferry over to Hvar one day and had a driving tour with Venko. We had some very interesting conversations with him. All of them were flexible with weather-related changes and all were very professional. We also had a great day on a boat ride to a number of islands. While Steve drove the boat Marin took great care of us--a very fun day. Bruno planned wine, olive oil, oysters and mussels tastings, hikes, a bike ride and I'm sure I'm missing some other things. Bruno coordinated all connections with ferries, guides and cars with no issues. I will definitely be recommending Bruno to friends who are planning trips to Croatia and I was so impressed with him and KimKim that I am using them for our next trip to Japan.

Hotel Review

Hotel Korsal

Korčula

Hotel Korsal is in a perfect location. It is easily walkable to the ferry or the town. There is a beach right in front of the hotel with paddle boards and kayaks for rent. Breakfast is delicious and plentiful with tables both indoors and out. We also had a delicious dinner there. The waitstaff and reception staff are probably the nicest group of hotel workers we have ever met. There is nothing they wouldn't do for you and always with a smile. They notice if you have a favorite drink or like a particular table. The area is very quiet at night. We had a suite with a very comfortable bed, a spacious living area and a balcony overlooking the water.

Authenticity & Character

Good spots to relax with a cover option from sun.

Location

Walking distance to the town and the ferry/boat taxi.

Staff

Very attentive and so friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great bed, spotless room.

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik Old Town

Dubrovnik

Ana was so knowledgable about Croatia's history and explained it in such a way that it was easy to remember. She took us through the whole city and showed us some special places to return to the next day.

Pelješac penisula and Ston + wine tasting

Dubrovnik

There was so much to do on this excursion. The salt flats were interesting. We watched a short movie and walked around the area. It's not a big place but we found it quite interesting. It was very hot that day but we still walked the path from Ston to Little Ston. It is A Lot of steep steps and in the heat it is difficult. It took much longer than anticipated. We have been on a number of winery tours in the US and Europe and we still learned new things form this tour. The wines were very good and it was the only winery we went to that shipped to the US.

Quality of Experience

Quite challenging in the heat.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

George was a lovely person. He was very entertaining throughout the day.

Transport

Very comfortable van for the six of us.

Private boat trip to Lastovo

Korčula

This was a really long but very fun day. The boat was very spacious with space for both sun and shade. We snorkeled in a couple of places, went swimming in beautiful coves, Marin told us about each island, took a bike ride on Lastovo and had an amazing lunch.

Krka National Park- 1 days trip from Split

Split

The park is beautiful with some gorgeous waterfalls. There are crowds-the later it gets the worse it gets. The hike is easy to navigate. Bring lots of water.

Quality of Experience

It's just very crowded-nothing you can do about hat but leave as early as possible.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mia walked us the opposite way most of the people were walking (it's huge circle) which actually made our experience better.

Transport

Mia arrived right on time and drove the van very well. She is an energizer bunny.

Overall KimKim - Sebastian was helpful/easy to work with and super nice. All logistics went well. Thanks, we had fun.

That said, I would not book again with KimKim without transparency on the fees. Other companies share more details on the discounts they get from hotels, cars, etc and their fee structure. I did the math and not sure it was worth what I assume the fee is we paid to KimKim. Other friends who have used you are feeling the same.

Hotel in Paris - great location, nothing fancy at all ... but clean and convenient. Nice breakfast and friendly staff.

Le Cep - I requested this and it was lovely. Property is aging a bit but they were SUPER helpful, set up a wine tasting, cocktails were great (and wine) and breakfast is fabulous. Rooms are nice and huge bathrooms, can walk to village center, market etc

Chateau in Carpentras was AMAZING. Sandrine's home is gorgeous ... rooms lovely, pool amazing and a nice casual breakfast. LOVED it. BUT ...... it is not for everyone. It's basically a room in her house and there are no services on site, nothing nearby, Sandrine is in and out. So long as guest know what to expect, all good. It was perfect for us.

The bike shop that Sebastian used was terrific - fun and easy, nice bikes, etc. All good,

Cassis - Jardine du Cassis Hotel. Clean, neat, nice pool. LONG STEEP walk to town. NO one should stay there that is not able to handle a substantial walk. We are in GREAT shape and hike/walk a lot and it was steep and long. They market it as close to town but it's not. It was fine for us but so that you are aware.

Kayak trip was FANTASTIC. Vincent, the owner, did our private tour. We are super experienced so he took us on a great adventure. Picnic provided was delicious ( simple but good - from a local business).

Hotel Reviews

Timhotel Le Louvre

Paris

great location - super nice staff. Not fancy but perfect place to stay close to everything. Nice breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel le Cep

Beaune

Vintage France

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Château des Cinq Cantons

Carpentras

This is the owner's home - she has 2 rooms, 3 cottages. AMAZING pool and in the middle of vineyards. It is not really a hotel - no services on site except a lovely breakfast and it's not super close to a town. It was PERFECT for us - quite, relaxed, the owner is lovely and her mom!! We sat at the pool for hours. But good for travelers to be aware of location, etc.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Les Jardins de Cassis 3*

Cassis

Clean and nice pool. LONG STEEP walk to the town - not as close as they market it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

near Cassis but LONG STEEP walk

Staff

Only place we went with snarky staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paris: Illuminations Seine River Cruise

Paris

Kayak in Calanques National Park

France

FANTASTIC - Private tour with Vincent, one of the owners. We are experienced so he took us on a fun adventure. Nice picnic that we had requested in advance.

Kate planned and organized a wonderful itinerary of Scotland for our group of 6. Throughout the planning and travelling, Kate was upbeat, highly knowledgeable, and really worked to tailor the trip for us. When we had any questions or requests, she responded very quickly, even while we were traveling so that we felt well supported. We chose to travel between towns/cities via private drivers and Kate selected outstanding drivers. They really enhanced our whole experience with their expert driving and engaging stories - and it was just easy and comfortable. I would highly recommend Kate at KimKim and wouldn't hesitate to work with her again.

We had a wonderful trip! Aleksandra took care of every detail and was available the whole time! We are a family of 4, 2 adults and two young kids. Scotland was so beautiful and we can't wait to go back!

Hotel Reviews

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Location is amazing. Close to everything and walkable. I will say the "family" room was actually two hotel rooms next to each other that didn't physically connect, so my husband and I each split with a kid. For 3 nights this was no big deal and we were so close to everything it was worth it. I will say although friendly to kids here I wouldn't bring any kid less than 4 years old

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Newhall Mains

Inverness

Beautiful, amazing staff. Full kitchen and laundry but not near anything you are pretty stuck at the hotel if you don't have a car. We made due with taxi services. Meals are pretty set time wise so I would make sure you have snacks etc for kids to have on hand.

Location

Remote and beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inverlochy Castle Hotel

Fort William

This was hands down amazing. I wish we had more nights there. My kids were treated like royalty! The grounds are stunning. We did falconry with them and it was a one of a kind experience.

Authenticity & Character

The history was spectacular

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was the top floor and got very hot. The staff helped with fans but would have preferred a lower floor with more air flow.

AC Hotel by Marriott Glasgow

Glasgow

Great location. My only complaint was that the family room we booked didn't have air conditioning and was on a high floor, so we were sweltering. The staff helped with some fans but I would not suggest staying here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioning needed there desperately

The Clermont London, Charing Cross

London

I want to go back. Ending here at this hotel was amazing because it was the best one of the whole trip. Location is stellar. We walked everywhere. Staff was amazing. Breakfast was great and dinner as well!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Taxi to Your Hotel

Inverness

Alnwick Castle Tour – The Real Hogwarts from Harry Potter

Edinburgh

Loved this. It was a bit far from Edinburgh. Unfortunately we didn't get to do broomstick flying due to weather. I also highly recommend Lillidorei playground which is attached on the grounds. My kids would have stayed there an entire day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi

Scotland

Hairy Coo Safari

Inverness

Worth it for sure. Up close and personal with the coos! Felt very intimate because they only take 8 guests at a time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Isle of Skye Tour including the Eilean Donan Castle, Portree and other attractions

Inverness

Great day. Our driver was very flexible and we let him make suggestions of what to do and where to go!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Taxi to the Bus Station

Inverness

Jacobite Steam Train

Scotland

Of course we had to do this as Harry Potter fans! It's a lot of riding but beautiful views! It was HOT. There is no AC on the train. Bring lots of water and a fan if possible.

Quality of Experience

Taxi to Your Glasgow Hotel

Glasgow

Our hotel was about 1 block away which we didn't realize. But the ride was fine.

Private Transfer from Glasgow to Glasgow Airport

Glasgow

Leave earlier than you think. We nearly missed our flight due to the security line was so long.

Heathrow Airport Transfer

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We returned to the US last week after one of the most memorable travel trips to Morocco. The cities we visited between Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Marrakech and everything in between from the Roman ruins at Volubilis, through the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert, were a unique and fascinating experience. Morocco had everything to offer from the unique local culture and people to its ancient history, historical buildings, architecture, fossils, great food and friendly locals. The guides at all the locations were excellent and knowledgeable. The Riads were stayed in were very different from anything we have experienced, starting with their location in narrow, winding streets, to the unique architecture and their friendly, prompt service. This is a country we will return to at some point in the future.

A special mention of our driver Muhammad who stayed with through the entire trip. He was outstanding in every respect. He is an excellent driver, always followed all road rules, was courteous to other drivers, and always positive and enthusiastic. He was always attentive to our needs, showed us numerous sites along the travel route, and was friendly, courteous, extremely respectful to us and always made sure we were well taken care of. We came to know him and his family through wonderful conversations throughout the trip which especially made days with long drives, go by quickly. With local friends he has in every stop along the way, he is a great ambassador to Morocco explaining various aspects of the culture, language, food habits which really gave us a sense of the country and its people, beyond just visiting the typical tourist places. We would highly recommend him to any future visitors to Morocco.

Hotel Review

Riad Sayeda Alhora

Fes

The decor and the ambiance of the Riad Sayeda Alhora were beautiful, with lovely decorations and gorgeous lamps. However, the bathroom needed a little updating, as there were minor drainage issues. While our overall experience at the riad was pleasant, this small inconvenience stood out.

Activity Reviews

Overnight in the Sahara Desert with Sunset Camel Ride

Morocco

The overnight in the Sahara Desert with a sunset camel ride was an unforgettable experience. It was one of the highlights of our trip. The serene beauty of the desert combined with the magical sunset made it a memorable adventure.

Chellah Ruins and the Phoenician Trading Emporium

Morocco

Exploring the Chellah Ruins and the Phoenician Trading Emporium was a fascinating experience. These historical sites were impressive and added to our understanding of Moroccan history and culture.

We had a wonderful time celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in Norway. Alex planned a perfect trip that included Bergan, Flåm, Geiranger, and Alesund. The Bergen city tour set the stage for our immersion into Norway. We had the right balance of planned and free time each day. We loved the boat ride to Flåm from Gudvagen in a spectacular Fjord, the Flåm tour and the train to Myrdal were highlights. The city of Alesund was a nice surprise with another spectacular fjord cruise to Geiranger. We were able to do many hikes, took a plunge in Alesund and enjoyed our Seafood Tower at the Cornelius Restaurant on our Anniversary. Alex and Nick were ready to lend assistance if needed but everything was planned so well we didn’t need any help. Timing was spot on for connections and next event timing. Thanks for a very memorable experience in Norway.

Activity Reviews

Explore Bergen

Bergen

We had just arrived from an overnight flight. It was raining. We did the easiest thing and walked to the fish market, had a couple beers and had dinner. We noticed the locals ignored the weather so we did too and just dressed accordingly and carried our umbrella.

Cultural Walk with a Local

Bergen

Thomas did a great job explaining the long history of Bergen. The big take away was the number of fires and rebuilds that were done and the power struggles throughout history.

Quality of Experience

Guide was extremely knowledgeable and excited about Bergen’s histort

Fløibanen Funicular Ticket

Bergen

We checked the radar to for this activity in. We had a 2 hour break in the clouds which gave us the opportunity to ride the vernicular, hike the area and have a drink at the restaurant on top. If it had been a sunset type of day we may have had dinner, however the sunsets are around 11:00 at night.

Quality of Experience

Overall, the trip was great. kimkim helped us design the perfect itinerary and identify ideal hotels for our trip. Everything went smoothly with all rides and pick-ups right on time and where they should be. The activities were all high quality. Costa Rica is a beautiful place filled with both the friendliest people and great adventures to do. Kimkim was a great trip planner and guide. Always replying quickly and helping with any questions.

Hotel Reviews

Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Water Resort

La Fortuna

Rooms were nice and big. The wide variety of hot springs filled pools were a tremendous experience. On-site breakfast has a great variety and tasted good. Would probably recommend going into town for dinner though. Staff was very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

A unique and interesting layout with a great view of the volcano.

Location

Conveniently located a quick uber ride from town where there are a ton of shops and restaurants.

Staff

Friendly, fast responding and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The property is very clean. They refresh the spring water in the pools every day. You may need to contend with some bugs here and there, but the staff will spray or clean if needed.

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Beautiful setting up in the cloud forest. If it's clear, you will have a beautiful sunset from their deck. It is pretty quiet, almost like a private camp with top notch amenities. The rooms are big with very comfortable beds. And the restaurants is one of the best meals in the area - a culinary experience.

Authenticity & Character

A truly unique hotel. Not a lot of guests stay there at one time. Plus the restaurant offers quite a bit of charm.

Location

Beautiful views. A quick taxi into town. Close to zip lining and other adventures.

Staff

Everyone was very nice and helpful, from the front desk to the restaurant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The grounds are impeccable in terms of cleanliness. The rooms have nice soft beds. You may need to content with bugs (it is Costa Rica), but the staff will surely help if needed.

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling at Isla del Caño Biological Reserve

Manuel Antonio

We had fun, but there are some positives and less positives when it comes to this activity. Things you need to know: First, the less positives: -If you are staying in Manuel Antonio, the excursion is an hour drive, and you need to leave the hotel at 5:40 AM -Because this is a national reserve, to load onto and unload from the boat, you need to walk out/in at the beach, and the ground is very rocky in spots and pretty painful on bare feet. -The ride to the island is on open ocean and can be pretty choppy if there are swells. The ride for us was very bumpy and took about 90 minutes. This was tough, especially if you have kids. -There are not really bathrooms on the island. If you gotta go, you are pretty much going in the water. -Overall, it is a long trip. Note, this activity will take a big chunk of your time in this area. We left the hotel at 5:40 AM and returned at almost 4 PM. Now the positives: -If you love snorkeling or scuba, this is pretty much the main option on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. There are not really any other close reefs, and this particular location is a great one. -We saw tons of tropical fish, turtles (tortugas!), sharks (safe ones), dolphins, and unique birds -The guides were all very passionate and great at their job. They took great care with safety, concerns about sea sickness, and instruction in the water. -If you get a calm day, the boat ride is likely not quite as taxing and a bit shorter. (But that's a crapshoot.) -The burritos for lunch were very tasty So if a snorkel or scuba is a must in your stay on the Costa Rican coast and you have the time, I recommend this one. If not, or if you have younger kids or sea sickness concerns, maybe skip this one.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Highly recommend the Desafio rafting trip out of Fortuna. A great group of simultaneously fun and highly qualified guides took us down the river. Our guide Emanuel (aka Fluffy, aka Pelusa) was friendly, funny and skilled. The transportation was smooth, the rapids were the perfect size for family, great mix of adventure moments and chill moments, and the lunch afterward was a tasty Costa Rican meal. A must do.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Joel was a great private driver for our day trip to Sintra! Our favorite location was Madeira given the hiking activity and amazing views. However, all locations were special in their own way and we really appreciate Tiago making every effort to fit as many locations into our itinerary upon our request despite the difficulty of the task. We intend to come back for the Azores and the Algarve.

This is my second trip to Iceland planned by Emanuela, and it was somehow even better than the first one! She did a fabulous job planning both trips.

On this trip, we started off with two days of orange advisories for the wind. Emanuela rearranged some things at the very last second to help keep us safe. When we finally did go out there were so many campers and cars were flipped on the side of the roads from wind. Emanuela kept us up to date on everything important and was there for us during both trips.

Her recommendations were beyond stellar—we had one of the best meals of our lives at Slippurinn in Heimaey on our anniversary at Emanuela’s suggestion. Our three favorite things aside from all the food and spending time together were the glacier lagoon boat ride, whale watching, and the food walking tour of Reykjavík.

Go to Iceland and let Emanuela plan it for you—you won’t regret it!

I was a little nervous initially booking through the platform, but I could not be happier. Leny made the process so easy suggesting best itinerary for our family trip to Japan. I was given options with an easy feedback process to finalise our trip. Once the trip started Leny ensured daily updates and reminders through WhatsApp which was extremely helpful. Each tour guide we had also reached out two days prior to meeting to double check I had the meeting information and go over the plan. We had great tour guides, amazing experiences and a truly unforgettable trip! Thank you for making it all so easy!

Liz Karen was great with my itinerary planning. She offered good suggestions, and also tried to cut down when we went over the budget.

Lisbeth was our point of contact in Peru, and Fernando in Bolivia. Both were quick to respond when I had queries. There was a hiccup upon our arrival in Lima, but Lisbeth solved it quickly.

Overall, our tour was very smooth with no hiccups. Our pickups by the tour operators were on time, our transport vehicles were good, the drivers/guides were good.

We had some issues at the Bolivian border for visas which we did not expect. But our Peruvian English speaking guide was invaluable with his advice and help.

We had a wonderful time. Highly recommended

Hotel Reviews

Dazzler Miraflores by Wyndham

Lima

In a good location. Easy walk to Miraflores places of interests. Lots of good restaurants around. The breakfast was good. Dinner so-so. Comfortable, spacious rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful. Also gave us a box breakfast for an early start in the morning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were spotless

Eco Amazonia Lodge

Las Piedras

Lovely experience in the middle of nowhere. The walking tours were good. Carlos was our guide. He was patient, friendly, and answered our questions. Some of the walks were quite long. We had a long boat ride in the mid day heat which wasn’t that great, and weren’t prepared for.

Authenticity & Character

Eco friendly and sustainable

Location

In the middle of the jungle

Staff

Always smiling and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very hot during the day. Fans not really effective. Fortunately the evenings were cool. Wasn’t really all that clean.

Hilton Garden Inn Cusco

Cusco

Good breakfast. Located at the top of a hill, so was a climb up and down from town centre. Concierge was helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Warm, comfortable

Location

Abit far from town centre. A big climb up the hill. Not so nice, especially at altitude.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Bed was comfortable although alittle small.

Gringo Bill's Boutique Hotel

Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu

The rooms were spacious but cold. Nice warm showers. Quite basic

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walk to the bus and train station

Staff

Didn’t speak English well.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were cold. But hot showers were good.

Mitru Sur Hotel

La Paz

Beautiful hotel. Had a lovely and warm indoor pool, great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Great place

Location

Quite far from centre of town, but we were in a very safe area. About 20min walk to the cable car station and to the restaurants square.

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were spotless, pool and spa were great

Hacienda Plaza de Armas

Puno

Lovely heritage hotel. Right in the middle of the town square

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful

Location

Walkable in 5mins to shops and restaurants. Best restaurant in town was a 1min walk away

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Warm and hot showers

Jardines de Uyuni

Uyuni

Lovely hotel. Warm rooms and hot showers. Strong smell of gas from the fires In the foyer.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely place in the middle of Uyuni. Almost like an oasis.

Location

Middle of town. Easy walk to restaurants

Staff

Speak good english

Cleanliness & Comfort

Warm. Beds were comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Shared Uyuni Salt Flats tour

Uyuni

The salt flats were an amazing experience. Our guide and driver were good. Reliable, knowledgeable and overall good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything was cold

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared tour to Pisac, Ollantaytambo & Train to Machu Picchu town

Peru

Sylvia our guide was knowledgeable and spoke good English. Felt rushed though as she covered a lot of ground.

Quality of Experience

Food

Food quality was so-so

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Lima City Tour & San Francisco Catacombs

Lima

It was an enjoyable tour, but felt quite rushed.

Quality of Experience

Knowledgeable guides. Good engosh

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flight to Puerto Maldonado: Eco Adventure 1/4

Peru

LATAM air reliable and comfortable The guides who met us and brought us to h th e office to unpack were friendly and helpful. Bus ride through town was good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

Our guide was very knowledgeable and spoke English well. Sometimes alittle too much info.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Quad bikes tour in Moray & Maras

Sacred Valley

Our guide was patient, and always aware of safety. Especially since I wasn’t so confident on the bike. Overall fun activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Titicaca Train from {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} NC

Peru

Amazing train ride. Didn’t feel like 10hrs. We had a great trip. So glad we did this.

Quality of Experience

The entertainment, food, experience was unforgettable. Wonderful!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eco Adventure 4/4: Flight & Transfer to {{end_location}}

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour

Puno

The floating island of Uros tour was really touristy. But was good to help out the islanders by purchasing some of their products.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip.was well planned out and coordinated for daily activities.

Gummie was very attentive to questions we had with a very quick response time.

I would recommend him to anyone for.travel planning!

Well done

The whole experience from planning with Maria and then traveling with the help of the rest of the team was absolutely perfect. We felt completely supported throughout the trip. We made a few last minute changes and the team was there for us every step of the way. It’s so relaxing to have that kind of immediate help while traveling. We didn’t have to worry about anything. We just got to enjoy the incredible beauty of Norway.

And I will add that the experiences that Maria chose for us were customized for our pace and our interests. And we were very happy with the accommodations that were booked for us. So overall, I would highly recommend Kimkim for making your trip to Norway memorable!

Hotel Reviews

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

Located right in the center of town, the hotel has a great history and character. Service was awesome, especially the bartender where you will have some amazing unusual cocktail!

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel

Bergen

Perfect location. Quiet. Spacious rooms. A great base camp for exploring downtown Bergen.

Heimly Pensjonat

Flåm

The rooms are very small without a lot of room to put your stuff. But the view is incredible, the service is awesome and the meals were great!

Scandic Royal Stavanger

Stavanger

It’s a little far from the center of town but quiet. No views. But comfortable.

Thon Hotel Kirkenes

Kirkenes

Great views of the harbor. Good food. Comfortable rooms.

Activity Review

Private City Walk

Oslo

There is nothing like a local to share their understanding of a place. And our guide gave us tips to explore things we never would have been able to do on our own!

Our tour guide for Chang Mai was amazing! (Natalie). She has such a bubbly personality and spoke clear English.

This is not the first time we have worked with KimKim. Our introduction was a trip to Japan. One word FANTASTIC!

This time with Italy, it was a dream trip. Anita and her team provided us with white glove service from the time our plane landed in Italy until we were delivered back to the airport. The planed day trips with local guides introduced us to experiences we would not have had if we tried to do it on our own.
We were even able to add a day trip to Switzerland that only added to our experience.

Thank you Anita and team

Activity Reviews

Como Food Tour & Farmers Market

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bellagio E-Bike Experience & Food tasting

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Milan Fashion Guide Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Como Boat Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport