Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had an incredible experience with KimKim! I loved our 2 day kayak trip. We got to see amazing wild life and camp on Yolanda's property. An unforgettable experience!

Well over a year of planning with Dalia enabled us to experience a once-in-a-lifetime, fabulous, unforgettable family adventure to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Traveling with a group of 14, including children ranging in age from 2 to 14, who have a variety of past travel experiences (and opinions) was challenging, but met more than satisfactorily in every way. Details were anticipated and planned, and Dalia was always available and responsive to handle any changes or special requests. Our personalized itinerary to fully explore Andalucia included windmills, great food (a cooking class which was a highlight for all), castles and palaces, fishing (a must for this family and another highlight), interesting museums (music and art!), a National Park, wading in the Mediterranean, and a fun New Year's Eve. The local guides were knowledgeable, interesting, and engaged well with the kids. Grandma and Grandpa were very pleased, and we are certain all our children and grandchildren were not disappointed after all the anticipation!

Activity Reviews

Market tour & Sevilla group cooking class

Seville

This was a highlight for our multigenerational group.

Fishing boat trip

Málaga

Oscar was a great Captain and this excursion was a highlight for our multigeneration group.

This trip was amazing! I personally like to research/plan my travels but life was hectic beforehand and having someone assist with our travel planning based off our preferences was amazing. The fact it was not much more expensive than doing it ourselves is always a plus. Also, the itinerary layout and portal for KimKim was very straightforward and was always helpful to look at when referring to travel events/timing. I loved how flexible your company is as well, accommodating to our “budget” travel style and self guided events so we could do what we wanted at each location without having to worry about booking timing/tour guides.

We really enjoyed the assistance Sandy provided, she booked domestic travel, checked us in, sent our boarding passes/tickets to us, and provided clear descriptions of where to meet our private transfers at each location! She was even helpful of providing information for where to meet family friends and websites that can help with reserving tables. Sandy was also very responsive the whole trip, helping us get our questions answered as well as being prompt with rescheduling/refunds as our trip changed.

A few points I think Kaelyn mentioned internally, but worth noting here:
-we had to ask Sandy for times of private transfers, reservation #’s, and timing of domestic travel. We didn’t have this info very close to our departure date, and it may have been provided around that time, but I’m sure other people would feel the same of wanting this info a bit beforehand.
-originally, when Sandy booked the Sapporo beer museum tour it said food was included, but the day that we booked it the food was closed all along, not sure how Sandy missed it, but we had to eat lunch somewhere else. Not a huge deal, our local guide Kana was very helpful with this and recommended a great soup curry restaurant that was probably our favorite meal of the trip. Also, Sandy/Kana figured out the refund for the Sapporo beer museum to be applied to our lunch which was great to not have to worry about.

Overall, I would recommend KimKim to most people. This was mine/my wife’s first experience with a travel agency as well, so there were some things that were confusing to us, but overall the trip ran very smoothly and a lot of stress was eliminated because of KimKim’s/Sandy’s assistance! I would definitely consider doing a trip through KimKim again. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Niseko Northern Resort Annupuri

niseko

You could tell it was an older building, but still a great vibe, good rooms, amazing that it had restaurants/breakfast on-site! It was a bit farther away from everything else in Niseko, almost an hour bus ride to the main village which we didn’t know. It would be nice if this place had a free shuttle to the village as the local bus took a while and was honestly expensive (so was the taxi service), which added up over the couple days. The fact that it was ski in/ski out was the highlight, also each room had their own ski locker which was amazing!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nothing, it is just far away from the main village/restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

They made our beds everyday and gave us fresh towels, awesome!

The TOURIST HOTEL AND CAFE AKIHABARA

Tokyo

Amazing breakfast, and delicious coffee. We would stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Very modern and clean.

Location

Right near electric city, great central location.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Half-day Sapporo City Discovery with Genghis Khan BBQ and Sapporo Beer Tasting

Sapporo

We thought this was a brewery tour not museum tour. And the food was closed. This may have been our fault for not researching when booking, but was fun to learn the history nonetheless.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are so happy we chose to work with kimkim and Mint! We flew 12 time zones for an 8 day trip to Thailand (too short!). One of the best experiences of my life! Everyday was packed with amazing well-rounded day trips with well-coordinated transportation from each event and domestic transfers. Amazing food and quality of the excursions and private guides. Anytime we had even a small concern about being in the right place at the right time Mint was on it and dealing with our needs quickly. The process of customizing your trip for your needs was easy and worked out perfectly. Simply tell them what you want and it will happen without you managing any of it. Well worth working with a group like this versus piecing all of this together yourself at a minor cost savings.

This trip was a reminder/proof that even a small 8 day trip can be monumental for anyone, dont be afraid to wander.

Leave this life with memories, not dreams.....

Hotel Reviews

The Quarter Hua Lamphong by UHG

Bangkok

Basic nice safe with good spa services, harder to get a drink when you want one. Food good.

The Park Nine Suvarnabhumi

Bangkok

Looks pretty, mosquitoes were an issue for us. Good location to shopping and food and airport.

Oceanfront Beach Resort

Phuket

Nicer end for this region, very good location, great pool bar area, a bit noisier being right on the street but your in Patong so you cant expect quiet.

Activity Reviews

A visit to Mae Klong Railway market and Damnoen Saduak Floating Market!

Bangkok

Phi Phi island, Bamboo Island, Pi Leh lagoon & Maya bay by speedboat

Phuket

life changing beauty

A visit to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary in Phuket

Phuket

1 of a kind experience anywhere on the planet

John Gray's - Hong by Starlight

Phuket

ditto amazing

Fantastic planning assistance from Audrey. She helped put together a custom itinerary that was exactly what we wanted and none of what we didn't want. She patiently worked with us as we explored different options for different days even when we changed our minds, made recommendations when asked, carefully planned out logistics and timing, and then executed all of our bookings. Polite, professional and friendly. Only constructive feedback I'd say is for days where our itinerary is known to start before a hotel serves breakfast, to not include breakfast with the hotel booking on those days.

Helen with ultimate Sydney was wonderful. Very knowledgeable and such a fun city food activity. The Sydney fish market was fascinating and all food stops were enjoyable. Charlie with aea luxury was also fantastic. Very personable and accommodating. Our time at thala beach was unique but a bit too isolated. Interesting, but would likely not return or recommend. Too far from any activities and not enough offerings on site. The calypso reef tour and the wildlife habitat tour were both spectacular. Absolutely loved both!! The sail away evening tour was quite average. No info, basically sailed out and slow return. Advertised as drinks and snacks. Snacks were limited and only the first drink was included and then they started a tab. Boring and overcrowded. Seating was uncomfortable and limited. We were happy to return to the wharf.

Hotel Reviews

Four Seasons Sydney

Sydney

Fantastic!!! Beautiful with top notch service. Well located for activities.

Authenticity & Character

Clean, classy, beautiful!!

Location

So close to everything!!

Staff

Derek was the best! Everyone was helpful And accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable, clean rooms. Beds were so inviting after our long travel day.

Thala Beach Nature Reserve

Oak Beach

Interesting and unique, but far too isolated with not enough activity at the resort. Only one restaurant and food was average. Wait times long for meals and quite overpriced for what is offered. Couldn’t even get a cup of coffee without someone asking for our room number. Pool area and beach felt unkempt and zero activity or anything of interest. Transportation to port Douglas was late - we almost missed our planned tour - and very limited. We lucked out by grabbing an uber back from town one evening. Staff was helpful and tried their best, but perhaps a bit understaffed or maybe it was the time of year??

Authenticity & Character

Very interesting location. Plenty of nature. Many frogs, toads, and can hear much wildlife st night from your tree house/jungle hut. Walking at night, not for the feint of heart. Golf cart shuttles are available but allow for extra time.

Location

Too far from everything. Nothing offered on property.

Staff

Helpful, tried their best. Seemed a bit understaffed maybe???

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was mostly clean. Pool area and beach both needed some attention/love.

Sydney Harbour Hotel

The Rocks

Yuck just yuck. Old, musty, offers nothing - would not recommend unless a brief stay to be close to harbor and decent walk around area. Staff was bored, uninterested and overall unhelpful. We lucked into the roof top area with Australia Day fireworks but, sorry, would not ever stay here again or recommend. Room felt moist and muggy. We felt as if we got ill staying there.

Authenticity & Character

Everything. It’s old and it shows. It had an old holiday inn or Howard Johnson’s feel. Overpriced.

Location

Nice location, but please chose a different hotel.

Staff

Personality, helpfulness, attitude, outlook. They seemed bothered we were even there.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again, everything needs improvement. Grimy, dusty, musty, dank. Uncomfortable and also loud.

Activity Reviews

Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling Excursion

Port Douglas

Beautiful trip!! We had perfect weather. 3 perfect stops. Fascinating views and snorkeling. Thank you for an amazing adventure. Bucket list item!!!

Quality of Experience

Boat was clean, crew was organized and professional. Well informed. A lot of fun!!!

Food

Food was great! Make sure to get in line early as everyone is hungry. Fresh air and swimming help work up an appetite!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

everyone was helpful. Make sure to do a guided snorkel with one of the crew.

Transport

Pick up at our hotel was on time. Return trip left right after outing. Perfect!!

Private Taste of Sydney Experience

Sydney

Helen was incredible. So knowledgeable and willing to share info. A fun day of learning and traveling around Sydney. We learned a lot, tried a lot and thoroughly enjoyed our day.

Quality of Experience

Just a great assortment of food and parts of the city coupled with a fantastic knowledge of the Sydney area and history!!

Food

So fun to try a nice variety of food items.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Helen felt like a family member from the start. Her knowledge and willingness to share history with us was very appreciated.

Transport

Comfortable, large, great visibility.

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Coral Sea

Port Douglas

Just a very average trip. We went out, made a turn and did a very slow return. Boring. No info. No music. No conversation or engagement. Advertised as food and drink - average and limited light snacks and one drink per person before they offer “to start a tab”. Limited and uncomfortable seating. Wanted this to be great - it wasn’t.

Quality of Experience

Ship was pretty. Everything else was lacking.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zero interaction with anyone from the company or crew. Boring.

Transport

We were already on port Douglas so no transport was needed.

Private Wildlife Habitat Experience

Port Douglas

This was a fantastic experience. Our guide Enrique was personable and knowledgeable. The interaction with wildlife was spectacular. Very much enjoyed this day.

Quality of Experience

Up close and personal with birds, kangaroos and koalas. Learned so much!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enrique was wonderful. Answered all of our questions and was very knowledgeable about Australian wildlife.

Transport

Our transportation was over an hour late. This was booked through our hotel, so no fault of the travel agent.

Private Blue Mountains Day Trip

Sydney

We learned a lot about the blue mountain region. Several great stops. The botanical gardens and lunch at boiler house were also great. Charlie with aea luxury was wonderful and accommodated a drop off at Manly Beach.

Quality of Experience

The views were incredible.

Food

Lunch at boiler house was delicious. Charlie provided champagne for one of our stops.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Charlie was warm, knowledgeable and incredibly accommodating.

Transport

Comfortable vehicle, on time pick up

The planning was good although there were some things that my husband and I thought could have been improved. Regarding the tour, our time in Quito was great and we had a fabulous bike tour with Jonathon. However, some of our group went to Cotapaxi, and to go to that altitude the first day of the trip seemed risky for a group of seniors. The hotel in Quito was great, transfers were seamless, and the trip itself was excellent. Mathias was very responsive but several times did not answer all of our questions and we had to ask them multiple times. A packing list could have been sent out early in our planning to allow us to purchase any items we might have been lacking. Payments should have included the items we were paying for and our names on them without us having to request it. Information on baggage restrictions could have been given to us as part of the information package. Overall, we were pleased with our trip and would recommend booking a trip through kimkim to others.

I was concerned about investing in the Kimkim service. It was perfect for us. The planning and execution were exactly what we needed.

We had an excellent trip to Vietnam, and we were extremely happy with the organization and support provided by Doris. She was very responsive, during all phases of our trip, and very helpful as well. She was a great travel resource for us. The guides she picked for us in every location were very good, spoke very good English, and were friendly, knowledgeable, informative, and fun. Doris was the reason we had such a good experience in Vietnam. She set us up with an excellent itinerary, which allowed us to see much more than we initially expected. Vietnam is a country with lovely warm people, excellent food, and really fun adventures. We highly recommend it, and we highly recommend Doris.

Hotel Review

Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

This was our favorite hotel, among many very good hotels. Their breakfast buffet was astounding. Excellent helpful staff.

Location

Activity Reviews

Hue: Thuy Bieu Ecovillage, Cooking Class & Imperial Citadel

Hue

This was a very fun boat ride and Cooking class. Highly enjoyable.

Ninh Binh - Lan Ha Bay, Overnight on Indochine Lan Ha Cruise

Vietnam

Our time on the Indochine, cruising the really amazing HaLong Bay, was a wonderful experience.

Hiking in Mai Chau, Explore local villages (Xom Kha, Ban Te and Na Meo)

Mai Chau

Loved biking thru the local villages

Lan Ha Bay - Hanoi - Fly to Hue

Vietnam

HaLong/LanHa Bay: total winner. Great experience.

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

Vietnam

Brian was an excellent guide. Very much enjoyed this experience. Guests should be given a heads-up about the traffic and resultant length of the car trip back and forth.

Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc - An Hien Garden House - Enjoy some local specialty cakes in Hue 

Hue

Very much enjoyed the Garden House and the Tomb

Ninh Binh - Bai Dinh Pagoda - Mua Cave

Ninh Binh

Very much enjoyed the Mua Cave and the Bai Dinh Pagoda was incredible.

Explore Hoi An Ancient Town and Street Food Tour

Hoi An

Hoi An was terrific. Very much enjoyed.

Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh - XO Saigon by Night - Experience Vietnam on Two Wheels (Group tour)

Ho Chi Minh City

The motorbike night tour of Saigon on Two Wheels was a very unique and wonderful experience.

Morning Free - Afternoon Half-Day City by Legendary Russian Jeep GAZ69 Or USA Army Jeep (VBTJ1)

Hanoi

We loved this half day tour, and we loved our guide, Brian. We saw and tasted and experienced so much, and he was really fun. Total thumbs up.

Quality of Experience

Very well planned and executed by KimKim. Super well organized by Doris.

Food

Everything. So tasty, so rich in flavor

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides and drivers were excellent.

Transport

Super easy, super helpful, super efficient

We just completed a trip and had such a wonderful experience! Elana and Wilman were tremendous and so pleasant to interact with. I definitely felt that they really cared about our experience. Elana put together an incredible itinerary and my dad and I had so much fun. Each activity was awesome and our schedule was thoughtfully put together so everything flowed. It always felt like we got the very best rooms at each property. The people working at the zip line at Selvetura Park were so awesome, as we’re the river rafting crew. We had a blast and also felt very safe. Our drivers were consistently kind, fun and informative. The only change I would make is to not stay at L Establo. The property was too large and spread out and the breakfast was a cattle call with tour bus attendees. I would absolutely tap into this entire team on a future trip and refer kim Kim and serendipity to any and all of my friends and family!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Very friendly and wonderful service. Pristine property that has a lot of nice walking and animal viewing right from the property. Delicious food and amazing Hot Springs

Authenticity & Character

It is well laid out and thoughtfully designed

Location

The view of the mountain is so beautiful and the property is lush. There’s a lot of fun things to do for couples or families.

Staff

Amazing service

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were pristine

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

The design is very modern and clean and it is a huge and beautiful property. It is so steep and large that moving from place to place requires a shuttle even for people who love physical activity. We had to pay $20 each, just to take a walk on the trails above the property And this seems odd to me The breakfast was also chaotic and stressful with tons of people from tour buses. We did not find it, relaxing at all

Authenticity & Character

It’s very nature oriented with beautiful views

Location

The location is walkable to downtown and in a beautiful setting with tremendous views. It’s just such a steep and spread out footprint.

Staff

The front desk staff were wonderful and the shuttle drivers were very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were pristine

Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport

San Jose

We were extremely surprised by how nice of a stay it was here. They had a beautiful hotel with lush environment. The rooms were very basic, but nice with comfortable bed and great shower and very clean. There is a Denny’s adjacent to the property and we were extremely close to the airport with a free shuttle. I would absolutely stay here again for proximity to the airport.

Authenticity & Character

It is what it is and it does practical well

Location

Close to airport! Beautiful sunset as well

Staff

Friendly and prompt

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed and linens were very nice. The room was extremely clean. There was a comfortable chair in the room to lounge in.

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

I wish I could give it six stars. The hotel is in the most beautiful setting with incredible views There are lots of good restaurants that someone can walk to from the hotel. They make amazing food and drinks, and the breakfast was spectacular I loved that they had a resident cat! The air conditioners worked great, and the rooms were spacious and well designed. There were macaws flying around in the trees on the property! This was my favorite hotel

Authenticity & Character

It’s incredibly charming and beautiful

Location

The views! It’s also close to a lot of things and desirable places to walk to, including a mini grocery store and ATM.

Staff

Everyone we spoke to was wonderful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very beautiful inside and outside, and the views were epic

Activity Reviews

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was an enjoyable day, but I wish we had only done two of the three activities. The hanging bridge tour took far far longer than was expected and went on too long. We did like our guide though. The waterfall was beautiful and I’m glad we saw it. I would pass on the hike because the visibility is often so poor and the hike was really just a steep short walk.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food was delicious and it was fun to talk to the other guest

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Monteverde

I really enjoyed this experience and the guide was very knowledgeable. It was fun to see a tarantula and scorpion and many other critters and learn about the background of the forest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I’m

Transport

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

The zip line guides were incredible! They made us feel so safe and they were very attentive. I loved spending the time with them. The guy who took us around the butterfly reptile area was wonderful as well.

Quality of Experience

O

Food

Beautiful setting, nice service and delicious food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

We were pleasantly surprised by how nice of an experience this was. There weren’t a ton of the people on the boat and the people joining us were so fun to talk to. The team manning the ship played great music And yummy food. We saw a gorgeous sunset and snorkeling was a blast!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Our guide was amazing and taught us so many things. We saw an incredible variety of plants, animals, and reptiles. Including a Ferdinand’s (sp?) snake! The activity was tailored to suit our time commitment, which was perfect.

Quality of Experience

It’s a national park for a reason. It’s stunningly, beautiful and not too large. You will see a huge variety of animals.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Savegre Whitewater Rafting

Costa Rica

We had such a good time. This was my dad’s favorite activity.. The river was so beautiful and our boat guide was super knowledgeable about the environment and birds. He handled the river with strong mastery of the currents and made us feel extremely safe. The other guys on the team were hilarious and so fun to be around. We saw the sunset from the river and it was gorgeous!

Quality of Experience

I wish that dinner was not included in this event. The meal afterwards was awkward because everyone just wanted to go home.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} - Visit La Paz Waterfall

Costa Rica

This was better than I expected. The waterfall walk and walk around the animal habitats was really fun. We loved the hummingbirds so much. It’s very lush and beautiful. It can be really chilly with the strong mist so bring a good jacket and definitely a raincoat.

Quality of Experience

Food

It was nice that lunch was right there so we didn’t have to go somewhere else, but I would opt out of eating there next time.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were lucky to have this driver twice and he was so kind and knowledgeable. He took us to great stops along the way and made the drive fun. We really enjoyed the smoothie and such that he pulled over for us. He was a very safe driver.

Transport

We originally planned a bucket list trip to Norway to see the northern lights, Alex was our first connection to kimkim and was fantastic to work with he helped change and tweek things to our interests, while in Norway carina was right on it when I needed her assistance for a booking! Norway in a nutshell was an unexpected delight because it seemed like it was going to be so complicated but turned out so easy with every ticket for train bus and boat all going perfectly! I would highly recommend using this team of travel experts , one added bonus was every driver picking us up at airports and hotels were 100%on! Thanks for my epic trip of a lifetime

The trip was incredible! Our driver Yassine was amazing, as he went above and beyond to ensure our enjoyment and safety. Each of the stays were beautiful and beyond hospitable. Moreover, the organized activities were perfectly curated.

Johanna did a fantastic job organizing our trip to Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls for us! We got to do everything we wanted to do:
* A bike tour of Buenos Aires
* A tour of both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides of Iguazu Falls
* A cooking class, a wine tasting and a tango show

All of this wrapped in a package that allowed us to relax and enjoy ourselves. Johanna's colleagues picked us up from the airport, took us to our hotel, picked us up for the side trips. We didn't have to worry about a thing! We hope to be able to use KimKim again in the future.
Thank you Johanna!

I want to highlight the service we received from our driver, Ayoub. Apart from being an excellent driver, always being available, always being on time, and being extremely knowledgeable and caring about our experience, Ayoub was one of the main factors to the excellent overall experience we had. For a 23 day trip, Ayoub was critical to our experience. We couldn’t say enough good things about Ayoub, all without any reservation. We are very grateful to Ayoub for everything he did for us.

Mohamed was a pleasure to deal with in arranging our trip. He was extremely responsive. For the most part, we are very pleased with the itinerary he came up with that we worked on together. In retrospect, we would have made one small change only and that was where we spent NYE. The trip was very well planned.

The only issue we had was the choice for some of the places we stayed. Star ratings are not necessarily consistent with North American ratings.

When we were in Morocco, Said was our contact. Once again, Said was very responsive and caring. We had a few glitches here and there with specific bookings and changes. Not all were solvable but Said did what he could and where something couldn’t be fixed he was concerned that we were satisfied with whatever resolution he could find.

Overall, we had an excellent trip and the service we received, particularly from Ayoub, was a big contributors to that experience.
Allan and Susan, Dec24-Jan25

I just want to remind KimKim that one way that I evaluate value is by seeing how much I paid per day. In my case it was $460/day. I understand that all agents involved need to make a profit to stay in business. However, I felt that on days 1, 3( guide was with me for 1 hour), 4, 9 and 10- I had free days which meant that the costs were primarily transportation and hotel( hotels that I stayed in Guatemala under $125/day). Please factor this in when you quote a price.
My comments by day are below
Day 1- took hotel shuttle which arrived 30 minutes late and picked up 4 other passengers, so we left the airport 60 minutes after arrival.
Day 2- prompt pickup from airport, good experience in Tikal.Good hotel in Flores.
Day 3- guide was with me for 1 hour( we had to wait to pick up his spouse) who accompanied us.
Day 4- Transportation and met with Chris. Camelias Inn is a good hotel, however their towels/sheets and pillow covers smell( I gave them this feedback, it is also mentioned in many Tripadvisor reviews)
Day 5- Hike to EarthLodge was un-necessary. I would skip EarthLodge all-together.
Day 6- Great hike to Pacaya
Day 7-Car troubles on the way to ChiChi, delayed arrival, but great experience. Isla Verde was a great hotel.
Day 8- Good day of hiking and kayaking.
Day 9- Free day, back in Antigua -I felt that I should have left that day.
Day 10- Free day in Antigua , flight at 1130p
Rudy- who was with me for the hikes in Antigua, Pacaya volcano and kayaking in lake Atitlan was fantastic!
I will be back to do the Volcano Acatenago. Thank you for organizing

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

Airport shuttle does not arrive on time

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Take very long to check-in, 45 minutes to check in 3 people at midnight with 2 staff members

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Flores

Flores

Near the Parque Central- can be a little noisy if there are town celebrations( which was on when I stayed). Hotel staff not very knowledgeable or helpful in guiding tourists regarding things to do.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near town Center can be noisy

Staff

Not knowledgeable about details of town events- there was a rodeo as part of the town celebration which they were not aware of

Cleanliness & Comfort

Camelias Inn

Antigua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sheets, towels and pillow-covers smell

Hotel Isla Verde

Santa Cruz la Laguna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pacaya Sunset hike

Antigua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not applicable

Excursion Into Actun Kan Caves

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Took the short trip 30-45 minutes, I thought we would do the long 3 hour trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stopped at guide's home for 20 minutes to pick up his spouse

Earth Lodge Hike (stay overnight)

Guatemala

Good location, scenic- limited options for dinner. I would probably skip this

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not applicable- we hiked to this lodge

My wife and I just completed a wonderful trip to Australia. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to visit ever since my sixth-grade teacher showed us slides of her trip to the other side of the planet.

I worked with Paula to plan our trip. Paula is a superstar! Her expertise in planning our lifelong bucket-list trip to Australia was invaluable. She took the time to determine our capabilities as an active couple in our 60s, as well as our travel preferences, including our preferred level of hotel accommodations and general interests. The information she gathered led to a perfectly paced trip. Long daily excursions were interspersed with shorter ones, and a day off around the middle of the trip was greatly appreciated. The accommodations Paula booked were wonderful, ranging from very nice to luxurious. Breakfast was included at several of the nicest hotels, providing an incredible start to our day. To be honest, some of the best food we had was found at these hotels. Another area where Paula exceeded our expectations was transportation. Throughout our entire trip, our transportation was expertly planned. Buses, air travel, and personal car service went flawlessly; not having to rent a car and drive on unfamiliar roads was a huge stress reliever.

Highlights of our trip included riding camels, interacting with kangaroos, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and viewing sunrise and sunset at Ayers Rock/Uluru. Most importantly, we learned more about Australia, its people, and its history. We found the people of Australia to be, in general, more polite and at ease than what we are used to experiencing. Our trip preceded Australia Day by one day, so we saw some of the preparations for their annual day of national celebration. The theme this year was "Reflect, Respect, Celebrate" – we found these three words very refreshing. Our trip, thanks to Paula, has led to a deep fondness for Australia and its people.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hyatt

Melbourne

Great Hotel with an unbelievable breakfast buffet. We were there for the Australian Open and the venue is walkable from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The Australian Open is walkable from the hotel.

Staff

Everyone is so very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Park Hyatt

Sydney

This is my all time favorite hotel. The location, style and service was some of the best I've experienced in my 66 years.

Authenticity & Character

Amazing architecture, the building is shaped around the Harbour.

Location

We were able to walk to the world famous Sydney Opera House as well as dozens of restaurants and ferry services.

Staff

Top notch. Everyone treated us with a smile and an offer to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was spectacular, the shape and amenities were exceptional. The most interesting and complete room I have ever stayed in.

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Sails in the Desert was a nice stay. The outdoor area was beautiful, and I appreciated the complimentary breakfast. However, it didn't wow us like the Hyatt hotels did, but that might be due to the desert setting. The hotel had some minor issues with the doors not fully sealing shut, but we've experienced that in desert hotels before, so it wasn't a big deal for us.

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Port Douglas

The Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa is a gorgeous place with lots of potential. We loved the plunge pool in our room and the main pool area was fantastic, but the resort was terribly short staffed during our stay. Staff were eager to help, but there were issues like a broken safe, non-working phone, and bugs on the counter. The food quality was exceptional, though there were only two servers who struggled with the demand. I believe they are hiring and will improve as they sort staffing issues out.

Activity Reviews

Sunset Camel Ride

Uluru

I highly recommend this activity. The camel ride at dusk is spectacular. You also have time to interact with the camel you rode after the excursion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Wildlife Habitat Experience

Port Douglas

We absolutely loved interacting with the Koalas and Kangaroos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enric our guide was fabulous!

Uluru Sunrise with Breakfast

Uluru

Well worth having to get up very early. The quiet and peacefulness was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Max our guide was amazing. He is from Germany but acted like he was from Australia...A great personality.

Full Day Snorkelling Outer Reef (from Hotel)

Port Douglas

We very much enjoyed our time on the boat as well as in the water. The company did an amazing job taking care of all our needs.

Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation (was & 4WD Bloomfield)

Australia

The Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation tour was very nice despite some road delays due to a cyclone that had hit the area previously. Our guide was friendly, and we had some engaging conversations. It was a peaceful way to explore the rainforest, though waiting in one-lane traffic was a bit tedious.

I'm good at writing, but am unable to string together a list of superlatives to describe just how awesome KimKim, their Colombian representative Michael Gold, and the local guides/drivers were on our recent trip to Colombia.
Michael assembled the perfect trip to fit our priorities and time frame. He adapted to a one day weather travel delay we encountered in the United States - rebooking hotels, excursions, and flights.
The guides were friendly, accommodating, flexible, and well-informed. The "handoffs" with drivers were seamless.
I highly recommend KimKim without reservation.
Craig H.

Our trip to Guatemala was fantastic!
Chris Gwinner our planner, did an outstanding job with connecting us to beautiful accommodations, Incredible personal tour guides Edgar,Vinny,Caesar !!& Well planned out logistics.
Tikal, Lake Atitlan,Antigua were amazing places to tour and learn about Mayan history.
Chris was always available for questions that we had and gave his recommendations from the planning
stages & throughout our vacation.
He even took the time to meet with us in Antigua ,face to face and ask about how our vacation was going.
I highly recommend Kim Kim travel agency, and Chris Gwinner as a trip planner .
Thank you, Olga & Jeff

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Utz Jay

Panajachel, Sololá

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa Rustica

Antigua

Nice hotel ,but the bed was very hard. But Chris got us into another nice hotel with a lot more comfortable bed

Hotel Casona del Lago

Santa Elena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Antigua Coffee Tour by Bus with De La Gente

Guatemala

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Explore Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

The absolute best trip of our lives celebrating our honeymoon. Kelly was so responsive and easy to work with. She planned the most memorable honeymooon along with our aunt. We saw the best of Thailand, from city, to jungle, to lake, to forest, to beaches!!! We felt so in touch with the culture and had spectacular food while staying at fabulous resorts. We would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone! 15/10!!

Yiannis John spiro yiannis were all excellent guides with expertise in greek culture food
and history They really show their mastery of living the greek life

Hotel Reviews

Kydon, The Heart City Hotel Chania

Chania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms

DOM Boutique Hotel

Heraklion

Staff was helpful about the city

Authenticity & Character

In the middle of the city

Location

Next to coast

Staff

Knowledgeable about city

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms clean

The Editor Hotel Athens

Athens

The Editor Hotel in Athens was a nice place to start the trip. The breakfast was nice, and the staff were very helpful in giving directions around the city which was much needed in a big city like Athens. It was comfortable for my stay.

Activity Reviews

Acropolis of Athens Small-group Afternoon Walking Tour

Athens

Guide was excellent

Quality of Experience

Knowledge of guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Answered questions

Transport

Safety

Free Afternoon in Athens

Athens

John was excellent

Quality of Experience

Thorough and explain everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge

Transport

Safety

Private Guided Athens Food Tour

Athens

John was excellent

Quality of Experience

Explanations excellent

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thorough explanations

Transport

Safety

The Ultimate Food Tour Of Chania Villages

Chania

Yiannis was excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge

Transport

Safety

Knossos Palace Small-group Mythological Tour

Greece

The Knossos Palace Small-group Mythological Tour was the only time I was with a few more people, and it was very informative. I learned so much about Greek mythology, including stories about Zeus, Fina, and the Minotaur. It was a dream experience.