Kimkim Trip Reviews

We did a 15 day tour of Spain:
Madrid- The Hotel Regina was well located, had a pleasant room, and great staff. They were very friendly and helpful to new tourists.
May 16: Arantxa -tour of Prada and Madrid- Prada was rushed- it needs a tour by itself. The stroll and food part of the tour was very good, especially the stop for Vermouth and Tapas. Arantxa is very personable and down to earth. She was willing to answer any questions and was excited to see us when we ran into her a few days later.
May 17: Beatrice- guided walking tour of Madrid- was very good, the pace was good and she was flexible to our needs and wants. She explained lots and answered questions well.
The evening of Flamenco was not as good as we hoped for; while enjoyable to some degree, it felt like an amateur production.
May 18: we had a free day to explore on our own and we enjoyed the break and some down time. It's a good idea to work some down time into the tour.
May 19: David, who drove us from Madrid to Segovia and then Salamanca, then to Burgos the next day, was very good, he showed us some good sights along the way and was very personable and answered questions well.
Elena in Segovia was also good and very thorough, she didn't hurry us and again answered questions well. The restaurant Meson de Candido was very good, and the view of the aqueduct was spectacular.
The NH Palacio de Castellanos was very good with good rooms, great location, and a nice restaurant on the patio.
May 20: Carmen's tour of Salamanca was mixed- parts of it were very good, such as the glimpses into the university grounds and cloisters, but she seemed distracted and spent a lot of time checking her phone.
The NH Palacio de Burgos was outstanding, with a large room, beautiful eating area next to an old cloister, comfortable lobby, and a great location.
May 21: Johan the young driver to Atapeurca was very sweet even with limited English. He did a great job.
Atapuerca was a highlight- it was fascinating and the archeologist who gave us the tour was really interesting.
The tour of Burgos with Rosalia was also fascinating- she showed us many highlight of the city's interesting history and was very engaging, asking us question and checking our knowledge.
May 22: The transfer to Bilbao was quiet and good.
The Hotel Sercotel Coliseo was good, with a good location and nice rooms.
Tour of Bilbao and Guggenheim with Ana was also good- she explained the museum well and her walking tour of the old city was interesting but not very comprehensive. It did feel rushed at the end. She did suggest a very good restaurant, though, which we really enjoyed. It was unfortunate that the tour was later in the day and we didn't get a chance to go back to Guggenheim on our own. It would have warranted a whole day just for that.
May 23: Diego won all our hearts- he was down to earth; he didn't know all the historical details, but he knew the local area and great places to take us. He took his time with us, let us explore at our own pace, and showed us all kinds of local spots. He joined us at meals and got to know us and let us get to know him and his perspectives on the local culture and history. His input was very valuable.
Patxi the sheep farmer (and his sheep dogs) were a highlight for us.
May 24: Diego took us to San Sebastian through the coastal route which was again spectacular.
The Hotel Zenit San Sebastian had great staff and a good restaurant, but was in a bad location for tourists on foot (especially an older lady) - it was a half hour brisk walk to the old town where our tours started, and also where the sights and good eating places are.
May 25: The e-bike tour was fun with a great guide, Pelayo. It's a great way to see different aspects of a good sized city.
The evening food tour with Imano was good, but felt abbreviated- we stopped for 4 Pintxos which were very good, but it felt like Imano was in a hurry and he didn't give a lot of detail about the history of the area and the food.
May 26: This was another good day with Diego exploring the local area- Pasai Donibane was a highlight, even in the rain. Diego picked out a good lunch of Pintxos for us in Hondarribia. We then went to the winery Hiruzta, which had lovely Txakolli wine.
May 27: The train from San Sebastian to Barcelona was lovely- the train was comfortable, had good coffee and tea, and the scenery was gorgeous. The transfer to the hotel was prompt and courteous.
The Hotel Ciutat de Barcelona was not good- it felt more like a North American college dorm room than a nice hotel- the rooms were small, there was no kettle, cups, or fridge, the safe was difficult to use and on the floor so hard to get to, the bathroom was outdated with a very slippery shower. The bed was uncomfortable and the mattress felt like it was covered in rubber. There were only sheets and no blankets on the bed. While we expect some street noise, the building itself was noisy and it felt like there was a youth party going on. Any one of these things would have been tolerable, but the accumulation of them was too much. In addition, there was no restaurant and the provided breakfast was not good- with little selection in food. By then we had decided to move and were glad we did.
The Hotel Icon BCN (Petit Palace) was very nice- the room was small but pleasant, with the expected amenities such as a kettle, tea, coffee, and cups. The staff (including Alicia the manager) were very pleasant and the lobby and restaurant were excellent with good food and drinks. The breakfast was very good with lots of variety and eggs cooked to order.
May 28: The Barcelona city tour with Gemma was interesting with some good insights into history of the area and we got see parts of the city we would never have found ourselves. However, it did feel rushed, especially around the churches downtown and when we got to La Sagrada Familia.
May 29: La Costa Brava was gorgeous where Shilo took us along a path on the shore which was lovely. He adapted his plans to accommodate Aunt Mary's abilities. The tour of Girona was also very enjoyable and Shilo shared some good insights with us.
May 30: Guy took us to Montserrat which was spectacular. He was both informative and very nicely easy-going, allowing us to tour the church on our own while he took Mary up the funicular. (My fear of heights prevented me from going). Then we went to Felix winery, which was another highlight for us. Christina, the owner (with Felix of course) was delightful, and explained the wine making process in wonderful detail. Their wine is very good! Guy also took us to one of their vineyards with its gorgeous old grape vines. We would highly recommend this winery for future tours.
This was really the end of our tour, although we stayed in Barcelona for three more days, which was a pleasant end to the holiday. One improvement i would suggest is a day with no tours in the middle of the trip, just to provide some rest. We were tired from learning so much by that time!
Thank you, Karin, it was a great trip.

Working with Marina Courtaut of Espiritu Travel was an absolute pleasure. During all the planning she was responsive and very helpful. She listened will to our interests and planned a vacation to match our needs.

During this vacation there were a couple of mishaps related to transfers, however, having Marina and Espiritu Travel on the other end of What’ App was very helpful. We simply advised Marian of the issues and she worked to get them corrected.

The first situation was that upon arrival in Portugal the car to transport the 5 of us to Porto fit only 2. It took about an hour, but the transfer vendor returned to the airport with a van to accommodate us all. The second situation occurred when the vehicle to transfer 5 of us from Lisbon to Lagos was also only for 2 people. While it took more than 2 hours to fix this, eventually a van arrived to transport all of us. Through out all of this Marina was engaged and provided information. Additionally, she took responsibility for the mistakes and accommodated us financially. I adhere to the wisdom that “people remember how you made them feel” and Marina made us feel that she deeply regretted the problems and worked very hard to rectify them. That approach left our family feeling satisfied and not unhappy with the service.

May 28
Due to the delay leaving Lisbon airport the pre-arranged plan for lunch in Coimbra no longer worked (too late in the day) however our driver found us a place to stop for lunch and that worked out well.

The Hotel Teatro in Porto was very nice. Upon arrival they did not know one of the rooms was to be configured as two twin beds however the were easily able to fix that; our 2 sons were sharing the room.

We had dinner that night at one restaurant recommended by Marina – DOP – and it was lovely.

May 29
Bluedragon Bike Shop did not know that we had prepaid for 5 for a guided bike visit of Porto. However, we put them in touch with Espiritu Travel and that was communicated. The Bike Shop charged my credit card and refunded the money in Euros. Our bike guide, Ana, was young and not very knowledgeable about the city. While very pleasant and nothing “went wrong,” she did not know as much as we have come to expect from city guides. FYI, the itinerary lists “water” as one of the things provided; it was not.

May 30
Our guide Pedro was terrific and our day trip to the Douro Valley was very nice. The boat tour wasn’t overwhelming, but not a problem either. Not sure I would recommend it to others. Pedro took us to a lovely restaurant for lunch and we all enjoyed the experience, however it was not, as the itinerary said, “”at a famous Quinta.” We also visited just one winery; the itinerary says, “visit traditional wineries.” We thought we would visit more than one.

May 31
The Lisbon hotel Duque de Loule was very nice. Turns out not as centrally located as we might have wanted, but as I recall that was due to the 3 rooms we needed, and another hotel being fully booked.

While we were making the 3-hour trip from Porto to Lisbon, at 10am, a person called me to say we were late for our 10am guided tour of Lisbon. However, we had no such tour scheduled; in fact, our tour was for 2:00 pm that afternoon. Marina was again very responsive. She learned that the company had mixed two tours and moved ours to 10am. Marina reassigned us to another tour vendor with a guide named Daniel at 2:30.

Daniel was a lovely young man, age 23, and while he did his job, it was clear he did not really know enough about the city and its history. We enjoyed him and our 21-year-old son and he had lots of conversation, but he was not the most informative tour guide. Daniel also provided us with 2 restaurant recommendations, and we ate at both places. It was nice of him to do so and helpful to us.

The pre-arranged Fado dinner this night was a very good choice.

June 1
Our day trip to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril was with a guide named Marta. She was very good; our family felt she was our best guide of the trip. We enjoyed both the pace of the day and the information. Unfortunately, the next day Marta shared she tested positive for COVID. None of the family tested positive, however, one should expect guides test themselves daily before taking a group out for a day in an enclosed vehicle.

June 2
As mentioned, the transfer to Lagos was not smooth, however Marina got it all fixed and made the offer to buy the family dinner in Lagos, which certainly made us all feel like she really cared about our experience.
The Cascade Resort did not have our rooms ready upon arrival however they shortly did, and the property and our stay there was terrific.

This night we had the Sunset Experience tour, not with Pedro as noted, but rather with Luis. We all very much enjoyed him and the tour. He was clearly passionate about the Algarve and his home area. Just to note, the itinerary mentioned binoculars however he did not offer any.

June 4
Our transfer from Lagos to Lisbon airport was fine. We left an item at the Cascade Wellness resort and Marina was very helpful in efforts to retrieve it and have it sent to our hotel in Lisbon upon our return a week later. Side note: the package did not arrive in Lisbon in time for us to take it home with us to the US. However, the front desk at Hotel Portugal was very helpful. When the package did arrive, 2 days after we left the country, the Hotel communicated this to us by email and connected us to a shipping company that is mailing us the package.

Our rental care pick up at the Valencia airport with Sixt went very smoothly.

Marina booked us at the hotel Hospes Palau De La Mar at my request. This boutique hotel was fine for us. It was in a nice neighborhood on a busy, but pretty street, and within walking distance of the Old City. When they brought us to the room they had for us the staff could not get the air system to work so they immediately moved us by their own choice to a different room. The hotel breakfast was very nice and they had outdoor seating.

June 5
We drove to Albufera easily but did get lost looking for the meeting spot for our boat tour. With a phone call to the boat operator, we received directions and we found the meeting spot. Our guide Anna was delightful, and she recommended a restaurant for paella. She made the 1:30pm lunch reservation for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal at El Redoli. Also, she led us to the bird preserve (flamingos), and we walked the paths, very nice. We drove a bit and walked to the beach.

This afternoon we chose on our own to do an historical walking tour of Old Valencia with GuruWalk (no fee; gratuity only). This 3-hour walk was excellent, and we learned about Aqua de Valencia (as a bonus); a drink we thoroughly enjoyed.

June 6
This morning we experienced our Local Market and Paella Cooking Class with “My First Paella” and it was very well done. While the attendees are obviously all tourists, the guide/cooking team was very funny, thoughtful, and instructive. We had fun and would recommend it.

This afternoon we had a private bike tour of Valencia with Jose. Bikes were provided by DoYouBike Rental. Jose was very nice and informative. We visited some of the places we had seen on our walking tour the day before but enjoyed the repetition, and we went inside to some places we really wanted to visit, including L’Almonia (archaeological artifacts), La Lonja and climbing one of the city’s old towers. We rode through the Turia Gardens (very nice) to the Science and Arts center, also very nice but we did not enter any buildings by our own choice.

June 7
We visited the Valencia beach and then drove at noon to Javea, stopping for lunch along the way. The Nomad Hotel was wonderful. The room had a beautiful view; Marina chose this hotel, and it was an excellent choice. The service as very good. Breakfast was delicious. We had dinner the first night at the hotel restaurant outdoors on the promenade and it was very nice.

June 8
We spend the day at Cala Grandella, beautiful beach spot 30 minutes away. As the beaches are mostly rocky, we chose to purchase 2 inexpensive beach chairs (which we left behind). A really nice hotel amenity would be to loan beach chairs to guests.

June 9
We chose to return to Cala Grandella having booked a 2.5-hour kayak tour with Siesta Advisor. We found the service and the kayak tour excellent. That afternoon we explored the nearby town of Moraira, for lunch and sandy beach. Great services (restroom and changing) at this public beach; very family friendly (lots of young children) and mostly European vacationers.

June 10
We drove to Valencia mid-day, stopping in the morning to see the castle in Cullero and then lunch near port in Valencia. Car return and flight to Lisbon were fine. We flew Vueling Air and had to pay quite a lot to check our luggage. While this was a surprise, it is understandable. The taxi from Lisbon airport to Hotel Portugal was on our own, which was fine. The Hotel was well located near the old district of the city and lovely.

June 11
The hotel room and the breakfast were very nice. They stored out luggage. They arranged to help us with our missing package. We would recommend this hotel due to location. Our transfer to the Lisbon airport was pre-arranged, on-time and fine, as was our flight home.

Hotel Reviews

Hospes Palau de la Mar

Valencia

Marina booked us at the hotel Hospes Palau De La Mar at my request. This boutique hotel was fine for us. It was in a nice neighborhood on a busy, but pretty street, and within walking distance of the Old City. When they brought us to the room they had for us the staff could not get the air system to work so they immediately moved us by their own choice to a different room. The hotel breakfast was very nice and they had outdoor seating.

Authenticity & Character

its very modern in style

Location

Depends on how near beach or near old city you want to be

Staff

Front desk and porter very pleasant and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

well appointed and cared for rooms

Nomad Xabia Port

Javea

The Nomad Hotel was wonderful. The room had a beautiful view; Marina chose this hotel, and it was an excellent choice. The service as very good. Breakfast was delicious. We had dinner the first night at the hotel restaurant outdoors on the promenade and it was very nice.

Tips for future travelers

While it is very eco-friendly (and the room lighting not great) there were both couples and families and it is right on the promenade so well located

Authenticity & Character

Lots of character which appealed to us

Location

beautiful view of Med

Staff

very helpful front desk and restaurant personnel

Cleanliness & Comfort

room and common areas very nice

Portugal Boutique City Hotel

Lisbon

The Hotel was well located near the old district of the city and lovely. The hotel room and the breakfast were very nice. They stored out luggage. They arranged to help us with our missing package. We would recommend this hotel due to location.

Authenticity & Character

it is modern and that appeals to some; we enjoyed it

Location

very close to old part of city

Staff

very helpful front desk

Cleanliness & Comfort

very nicely cared for

Activity Reviews

Panoramic Albufera Sunset Cruise

Valencia

We drove to Albufera easily but did get lost looking for the meeting spot for our boat tour. With a phone call to the boat operator, we received directions and we found the meeting spot. Our guide Anna was delightful, and she recommended a restaurant for paella. She made the 1:30pm lunch reservation for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal at El Redoli. Also, she led us to the bird preserve (flamingos), and we walked the paths, very nice. We drove a bit and walked to the beach.

Quality of Experience

the guide was knowledgeable and helpful, the experience unique

Guides, Drivers and Staff

as noted, very helpful

Transport

we drove ourselves and got a bit lost

Cook Paella like a Valenciano

Valencia

This morning we experienced our Local Market and Paella Cooking Class with “My First Paella” and it was very well done. While the attendees are obviously all tourists, the guide/cooking team was very funny, thoughtful, and instructive. We had fun and would recommend it.

Quality of Experience

the staff

Food

great fun participating in the cooking and then eating what was made

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very friendly

Experience Valencia by Bike

Valencia

This afternoon we had a private bike tour of Valencia with Jose. Bikes were provided by DoYouBike Rental. Jose was very nice and informative. We visited some of the places we had seen on our walking tour the day before but enjoyed the repetition, and we went inside to some places we really wanted to visit, including L’Almonia (archaeological artifacts), La Lonja and climbing one of the city’s old towers. We rode through the Turia Gardens (very nice) to the Science and Arts center, also very nice but we did not enter any buildings by our own choice.

Quality of Experience

It is a very nice way to explore and feel the city

Guides, Drivers and Staff

our guide was excellent

Nadia helped us plan our trip to Greece for 6 people. She was fantastic! We went for 2 weeks to 2 islands plus Athens. She planned everything for us. We did a cooking class in Paros that was lovely and we really enjoyed getting to know some local people on a more personal level. Nadia also arranged for a walking tour of the Acropolis and a food tour in Athens. It was really fun and we loved our tour guide, Joanna! Nadia also arranged for an all day tour to Delphi that was great! It was an all day excursion with a drive through the mountains. Our guide for this was also so interesting and informative. Nadia arranged all of our car ride to/from the airport and to/from the ferries to the hotels. Everything was so detailed and organized which allowed us to relax and enjoy beautiful Greece!! I highly reccommend Kimkim and Nadia and will use this service again in the future. It's so convenient and makes planning a trip to a place that you are not familiar with very easy.

Hotel Review

Capetan Giorgantas

Adamantas- Milos,Cyclades

We loved this small, family owned hotel. It's right in the middle of the town, you can walk everywhere including to the ferry. It's very clean and has a super breakfast every morning. We will stay here again for sure!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Milos

Milos

Milos is a small island and very walkable and you can get around on the bus. The towns are lovely!! It's truly beautiful, friendly and we would definitely want to visit again. It was our favorite island of our visit!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Greek Cuisine Cooking Class

Paros

This cooking class was really fun! The owner of the restaurant, Maria, is so lovely and warm. The rest of the staff was also super friendly and made us feel so welcome. Marina, one of the assistants, took tons of pictures for us and was super fun to chat with. We had a lovely time learning some Greek recipes and we got to take some food back to our hotel for later. Everything was so delicious! I highly recommend taking this class! It's great for older kids and teens as well!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was everything I hoped for and much more. Emilice was a dream to work with. She went above and beyond to make this trip magical. She came up with activities that we loved and would have never thought of doing. All of our drivers and guides were great, but our driver for most of the trip, Fabio, was pleasant, knowledgeable, very friendly, and professional. We miss him. Our favorite guide was Hernan, our guide for the half-day city tour such knowledge and friendly mannerism. All of the hotels were centrally located and comfortable, not a fan of the hotel in Mendoza though. The dinners and lunches that Emilice planned were stellar. We couldn’t have dreamt of a better trip. My husband and I are seasoned travelers but I would have never been able to plan a trip as good as this one. Thank you KimKim, Emilice, and all of our drivers and guides. Will definitely use this company again and will recommend to my fellow travelers. Gracias por todo!!!

Hotel Review

Cordon del Plata

Mendoza

Although we were moved to Hotel M, across the street and it was newer, it was noisy and bathroom was super small similar to a bathroom on a cruise ship. You could hear everyone in the hallway and street noise was pretty bad. It was centrally located which was very nice. Also, I requested a little later check out and they asked for 50% of daily rate. Unbelievable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located in heart of city, easy to walk around.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dinner at "Fogón, Cocina de Viñedo" - With antique cars

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was fun riding in a 1928 Model T car but it should not be used to go such a long distance. Took us an hour to get to the restaurant and 20 minutes to get back in a regular car.

Great Adventure - Boat trip

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Neighborhoods Tour

Buenos Aires

Hernan our guide was fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Riding at Sunset (And creole BBQ) 🐴🍗

Mendoza

Very rustic place and home cooked lunch was delicious. Enjoyed riding in the Andes.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tango Show and Dinner at Café De Los Angelitos

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

"Fileteado" Class in San Telmo

Buenos Aires

The tour of San Telmo was great but too much emphasis on Fileteado. The class was very enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Best of Argentina Culinary Experience

Buenos Aires

So much fun. Food was delicious and met other travelers.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

“Santa Susana” Fiesta Gaucha Excursion

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Iguazú: NATIVE GUARANI COMMUNITY

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brazilian Falls - Half day

Puerto Iguazú

This was phenomenal. See the Brazilian side before you see the Argentinian side.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was just ok.

Transport

Parque Das Aves (in Foz Do Iguazu) From Puerto Iguazú

Argentina

Not a bird lover but truly enjoyed the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was very nice.

Argentinean Falls - Full day

Puerto Iguazú

Wow, it was breath taking. The Iguazú Falls should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Between Vineyards and Olive 🍷🍇 (Luján de Cuyo & Maipú)

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time in Morocco. My husband and I travelled with our 6 month old for 12 days. Throughout the trip planning Abdellah was very accommodating and gave us a wealth of events, activities, and recommendations to create an amazing itinerary. Abdellah was also taking care of my brother who was traveling on overlapping dates to Morocco. He made sure to maximize the overlap of our itinerary with that of my brother's to make both of our trips memorable.
We were well taken care of from the start till the very end of the trip. Our guide Karim was terrific. He was knowledgeable about landmarks, local customs, and the historically significant sites which made the adventures even more enjoyable. He was remarkably patient with us while we attended to our young one. Karim always accommodated our requests to change our daily plans. There was absolutely zero pressure to stick to a plan and we always comfortably moved at our own cadence which made the traveling effortless.
Unfortunately, due to my brother's flight delay our itineraries no longer overlapped. However, at our request Abdellah gracefully changed a significant part of our itinerary during the trip. Within the span of an evening he rebooked hotels in the different cities, rescheduled activities, and events to overlap our itinerary with my brothers itinerary. We were beyond grateful with how well he took care of us!
We are absolutely looking forward to our next adventure in Morocco and can't recommend our local specialist Abdellah and our guide Karim enough!

Rebecca was amazing!!! I consider myself pretty good at planning trips and I usually don’t outsource to a 3rd party but this Greece trip seemed like too much for me to handle on my own. So happy we found Rebecca via KimKim. Every single detail was perfect and the hotels and excursions she picked out for our family of 5 were perfect! Traveling with 5 is hard since hotels usually are geared for 4. But Rebecca not only found hotel rooms that fit us but spectacular rooms that fit us comfortably! This trip called for transportation to and from airport/ports, ferry tickets, private tour guides, group tours and 1,000 other details and Rebecca handled it all perfectly. She exceeded our expectations. Amazing bucket list trip that was successful because of Rebecca. She knew places to go/stay that American travel agents wouldn’t know about because she is Greek. I cannot say enough good things about her!!!

Most memorable places: our room (Santorini Mansion) in Santorini with the beautiful view of the Caldera, private walking tour of the Acropolis and Naxos beaches!

Hotel Reviews

Liana Beach Hotel & Spa

Naxos

Beautiful hotel and great location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the beach and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Athens4 Hotel

Athens

Great place! Loved it! Hotel staff was so friendly and accommodating. My son has severe sesame allergies and they went above and beyond to ensure he was safe with the foods served for breakfast. Great room, great location.

Tips for future travelers

N/A

Authenticity & Character

Modern and clean

Location

So close to everything

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Santorini Mansion at Imerovigli

Santorini

Beautiful million dollar view. Kostas was the best and so helpful. Gorgeous rooms and great space for a family of 5. Loved the jacuzzi and eating the amazing breakfast on our outdoor porch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Athens - The City

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini - The Island

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens - Acropolis at Sunset & Plaka neighborhood | Private tour with an archaeologist/guide

Athens

Amazing!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini - Walk, Drink, Eat Sunset Small Group Tour

Santorini

Great guide and fun tour!!!

Quality of Experience

lol

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Athens

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens - Private Cape Sounion & the Temple of Poseidon Sunset Tour

Athens

Not overly impressed with our guide. She was nice but her tour wasn’t very interesting. Her voice put my kids to sleep in the bus. Our driver George was amazing and helped energize the kids by including them! He seemed to know a ton of info too and was a better personality for a tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was great! Guide was so so...

Transport

George was great!!!

Santorini - Free Morning & Santorini Catamaran Gold Sunset Cruise (Small group cruise)

Santorini

Great cruise for sunset. The boat crew was very nice and helpful and shared interesting facts as we sailed around to various points of interest. Dinner was great and they were attentive to those dining with food allergies. Beer and wine were offered throughout the cruise. Small enough group (19 on our boat) so everyone had room to spread out. Sunset was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Food

They were amazing with food allergies

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire trip was well-organized and the staff, local guides and teams were helpful and kind. Most of the hotels were quite good but its worth mentioning which rooms you would like before booking. Casa Biru in Cusco had really good services and their team was very warm and welcoming. The family-run souvenir shop at the hotel's entrance was lovely too.
As for the tours itself, the transport was very comfortable, the guides (Janet, Edwin, Jacqueline and another person whose name I didn't catch) were friendly and quite patient, nice and honest about the history of the places we visited, the culture and other interesting facts. They also made sure we could get some good photos and views while walking around each site, and did their best to ensure our safety while trekking in the high altitude.
Liz and Paul, who were in charge of planning and organizing the trip were the absolute best. They helped us plan things until the last minute and made sure to help us even during issues we face during our immigration at the airport. Really glad to have picked their services for our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Inn Lima Airport

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arawi Miraflores Prime

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arawi Miraflores Express

Lima

The room had no ventilation, the bathroom had a bad odour and not enough lights in the room either.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Biru Hotel Boutique

Cusco

The hotel and room was really good. The breakfast was quite basic though and the attached restaurant doesn't really have good food. Would recommend trying other places for food instead.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room, staff, and location

Susanna Inn

Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Shared Full- Day tour to Moray Terraces & Maras Salt Mines Tour

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Trek to Vinicunca Cr

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was amazing! I cannot thank Jenny enough for not only picking great destinations but really listening to what we are interested in a building an itinerary that we didn’t miss a single suggested stop!
What I also loved was how it was created in order so you didn’t have to figure out which was a priority or not along.

Her consistent communication and follow up was great.

Ok-now for our trip experience. Unbelievable!!
We could have stayed 2 extra days in Snaefellsnesd(sp) as well as an extra day in the Golden Circle.
The accommodations were great, nice staff and our last night had to be modified but I think resulted an amazing upgrade! We tried to hit all restaurants suggestions and they were spot on!
Our checkin for hotel and excursions were seamless.

Thank you for putting an 8 day trip together that was absolutely seamless

If you can at least try to see all the stops given, it’s worth it!!

A once on a lifetime, magical and authentic experience, meticulously planned and organized by Hakim, and perfectly executed. My eighteen year old son and I went on the Imperial Cities of Morocco tour - planned back in 2019 and postponed due to Covid until this year - needless to say we were beyond filled with anticipation and high expectations. The tour covered a lot of ground over large distances , but thanks to Mohammed, our amazingly skillful, gregarious, tireless, patient and knowledgeable driver, every step of the tour went smoothly. His thoughtfulness extended to providing unique experiences such as spontaneously pulling over on a mountain road to hop out of the car and purchase freshly picked figs from the locals for us. Divine!!! The local guides in Fes, Marrakech, and Casablanca were all excellent and led us on insightful, educational and entertaining tours, happily sharing their knowledge, cultural tidbits , historical anecdotes and overall passion for their respective cities . The overnight desert camel ride experience is absolutely not to be missed . Breathtaking and a true bucket list item. The city accommodations were absolutely magnificent and authentic riads that transported us back in time and the staff were all delightful, as were all the locals we encountered . Such warm, smiling, kind and helpful people. This tour allowed us to see and experience so much, with every detail taken care of , I cannot recommend it enough. Hakim provided continuous support throughout and Mohammed ensured it all went off without a hitch , and took amazing care of us. We thank them both, as well as the fantastic guides, for a unique and memorable experience !
A word of warning : We were eager to go to Rick’s Bar in Casablanca, made a reservation and went for dinner on our last night and were sorely disappointed. Unpleasant, grim faced staff, terrible service and sub par food. Stay away unless a nostalgic WW2 playlist and checking off a box are all you’re looking for.

Preeti was excellent.... everything was memorable couldn't ask for better person to handle everything

All of the trip was well organized and was Taylor’s to exactly want we wanted. Most of the hotels selected were great. All do the activities were spaced out well to give us flexibility to do things once we arrived. This was our first time using Kim Kim and we look forward to using them again!

Hotel Reviews

Sunset Inn and Suites

Vancouver

The bedroom in the suite we had was tiny! It had a king sized bed but we barely had room to walk around it. We had to move our suitcases out of our way each time we needed to move. Would have rather had a queen bed if meant we had more space. The living room and kitchen were nice. Breakfast was included but had to be ordered ahead of time

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean but space of the bedroom was a major draw back l. It also had a window AC unit with ductwork duck taped to the window and wasn’t very secure. Bedroom had window unit behind the curtain so it blew cold air into the curtain the whole time. Room was visible to other buildings so we had to keep it closed for privacy making the AC unit useless. Fortunately our time of year didn’t require much AC and we were still comfortable

Moose Hotel and Suites

Banff

This hotel was amazing!!! The amenities were great! We enjoyed the rooftop hit pools and room service for breakfast was very convenient! The suite was spacious and the bathroom was really nice! We can’t wait to come back here.

Tips for future travelers

Use the included local transit bus pass. Parking is difficult and it was so nice to have convenient mass transit that was free to us as guests.

Authenticity & Character

Fireplace in the suite amazing balcony views

Location

It was right downtown we could walk to most Places

Staff

Very friendly and helpful. I lost my camera on the bus and they helped me track it down.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park

Vancouver

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore around Banff

Banff

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gondola operates greeted us and asked were we were from. Very friendly

Transport

We had our own gondola. We also were able to go early due to it not being busy so we got more time at the top.

Columbia Icefield Excursion

British Columbia

A very unique experience one of the highlights of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and engaging drivers answered all our questions

Transport

Really fun to ride the monster truck bus!

Maligne Lake Cruise

British Columbia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide for the week, Nader Tayyem was really the person that made the trip for us. I don’t have enough positive things to say about Nader. Between the good work done by Samir and Nader. I would definitely recommend them.

Hotel Review

Sulaf Luxury Hotel

Amman

Very nice

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Meet & Assist - Queen Alia Airport

Jordan

Quick and painless

Quality of Experience

Petra Basic Visit

Jordan

Really interesting

Quality of Experience

Wadi Rum (2-3 Hrs Jeep ride)

Jordan

Sunset truck tour was pretty and enjoyable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved everything about our Peru trip and would definitely recommend and use kimkim for our next adventure!

Johanna from Miski travels was our coordinator and she exceeded our expectations. She paid huge attention to detail and her customer service was on point.

Sonia was our local tour guide and we loved that she was very passionate about her country; super fun to work with.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel El Tambo

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Agustin Plaza

Cusco

Breakfast can definitely improve

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Agustin Urubamba

Urubamba

Breakfast can definitely improve

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paracas, Ballestas Islands, Winery Tour, and Desert Adventure Day Trip from Lima

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainbow Mountain Trek

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lima Food Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Via Ferrata & Ziplining

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moray & Maras, and ATV Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Cusco Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacred Valley Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I must say after two years of waiting this Greece trip was well worth the wait. From landing at the airport and our transfer to our hotel was really great. And thinking about the Kim Kim company I just picked it from the web. Harris you did a great job!

Our first tour was the Acropolis and Ancient Athens Mythology tour I must say it’s a magnificent place to just say my Lord I’m here. And then Delphi, Meteora, Mykonos, Delos Island and Santorini all our tour guides for all the different archaeological sites they were fantastic they each talked about the different sites with such passion great choices!

Our taxis and van services drivers were excellent they were prompt and on time and was able to tell you about the history of the places you we’re going.

The hotels were smacked in the middle of everything. Walking distance to restaurants, we eat at a different restaurant for lunch and dinner, shopping, markets, pharmacy what ever you need was just wonderful not to travel distance to find things.

And hello to all the friends that my sister and I met Valerie, Emily, William just to name a few.

Our high speed ferries and fast trains was a plus for sure a great experience! Harris you and the team in Greece was fantastic with help in making changes for a great time!!!

Hotel Reviews

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

It’s right in the middle of everything! It’s clean and the rooms are great!

Tips for future travelers

Booked right away don’t wait!

Authenticity & Character

The design of the hotel

Location

The Restaurants and shopping and night life!

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were great! Was very clean.

Monastiri Guesthouse

Kalampaka - Meteora

You can see a couple of the Monasteries from the Guesthouse a beautiful view. 10 minutes walk to the restaurants and shopping area a beautiful place to walk around. Rooms are very nice and you have your balcony. Breakfast is amazing!

Tips for future travelers

It a great place it’s also a skip and a hop from the train station.

Authenticity & Character

You can sit by the pool or on your balcony

Location

Staff

So so friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!

Adonis Hotel

Mykonos

This hotel is a great spot five minutes from the beach, five minutes from shopping and restaurants

Tips for future travelers

It a great place to stay the views are amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Close to renting bikes to take you around

Staff

Very nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!

Makris Beach Hotel

Kamari

Two steps from the beaches and restaurants. A great place for running , morning or evening walks. You’re going to love it!

Tips for future travelers

You will love it!

Authenticity & Character

Just like I have seen it pictures, the building is very white.

Location

Great strip

Staff

Lovely

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean someone is always tending to the plants.

Avra Hotel

Rafina, Attica

The location looks great didn’t see much of it got there late. Dinner was fantastic view of the sea and pier. Wish I had gotten there early to walk around but it’s 25 minutes from the airport.

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

Activity Reviews

Acropolis & Athens Mythology Tour

Athens

What an amazing experience I have read about it seen pictures and to be there in that moment all I could do is take it all in. And you’ll do the same.

Quality of Experience

I liked everything inched of that place!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was first class she was so passionate and took her time to explain things

Transport

We walked from our hotel

Private Tour of Delphi

Greece

You have to visit Delphi it’s an amazing place when you look at the treasures that was found and to know they were buried for thousands of years and you’re seeing them unbelievably!

Quality of Experience

Just to be there !

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was an expert on the area! The guide was a natural for this kind of teaching!

Transport

Scenery to Delphi

Meteora Sunset Tour

Meteora

Our tour was magnificent to see all the rocks and there formations it was incredible to see and those monasteries and steps. It was a trip of a life time.

Quality of Experience

The views, sunset and the area was just mesmerizing beautiful!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was great, driver is an excellent driver for all those curves and bends Amen.

Transport

Was clean and comfortable

Day-Trip to Delos Island

Mykonos

The ferry ride was good no rocking of any kind. Stepping on Delos island was like that secret place. Looking at the Sacred Lake, lion terrace, house of Dionysos you’re trying to put your self in those days but you can’t just by you standing there was enough for me! An amazing visit.

Quality of Experience

Everything

Caldera Cruise & Volcano Visit

Santorini

This was one for the history books. I couldn’t believe how far up you have to climb but I did it because I wanted to see what happened all those thousands of years ago and it did not disappoint all those craters and the views are spectacular oh my word you have to see it,

Food

Food was good I went back for the chicken it was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was so knowledgeable was unbelievable and she was to the point! Love it.

We had an amazing Time in Norway .
We had used Kim Kim previously when planning a trip to Chile , which worked out great .
Since this was a last minute decision on our part , decided to turn to them again .
Christina was very accommodating and knowledgeable in the planning process . She was attentive and provided many suggestions based on our requests , including experiencing Constitutuon Day in Oslo (which was truly an experience to witness and be a part of) . It was a indeed a pleasure working with her .
Norway is a beautiful country , from the breathtaking surroundings , the friendly people we met throughout the journey , the culinary experience , the ease of getting around and so much more …. You truly are forced to “stop and smell the roses . “
Thank you Kim Kim . Thank you Christina . Thank you Norway .

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Bergen City

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Midtnes Hotel

Balestrand

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leikanger Fjord Hotel

Leikanger

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bristol

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Tønsberg Brygge (Tidl. Brygga)

Tonsberg

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

RIB Fjord Sightseeing Tour in Balestrand

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Norwegian Constitution Day

Norway

Quality of Experience

Free day in Leikanger

Leikanger

Quality of Experience

Everyone at KimKim I had opportunity to work with was FABULOUS! Wonderful accommodations in Athens, Santorini and Mykonos—we felt like royalty. Special shout-out to Jo, our guide in Athens and Will in Santorini for humor, real knowledge of respective areas and great personalities. Hope to stay in touch with both to host them in the US. And to Christos—always working with me to make trip special! Kimkim and Dubai 2024!!!

Hotel Reviews

Volcano View Hotel

Santorini

Views beyond belief! Everyone gets their own outdoor balcony (great for scrabble and glass of wine) and the rooms are lovely. Great pool area and breakfast cafe staffed by wonderful staff personalities. Wide assortment of food on buffet that can get you full until dinner. Easy transportation into Fira and Oei for shopping and dining.

Tips for future travelers

Only to have room for me to stay with you on my next visit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Transportation to/from public transportation. Always looking out for guests alerting us when drivers are coming, getting reservations for restaurants, etc.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Foundry Suites

Athens

Such a unique boutique hotel with character that is beyond. Great accommodating staff! Located just on edge of nightlife and dining hub and walkable to major Athens historic sights. Try for Jo as your Tour Guide!

Tips for future travelers

There are mosquitoes in Athens so take advantage of offer for bug spray!

Authenticity & Character

Great staff and interesting room effects from piano to hundreds of books.

Location

Just steps from restaurants, clubs and great cigar shop.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kouros Hotel Mykonos

Mikonos

Great, warm staff who took care of us…especially in an emergency. Always smiling and ready to help you with anything!

Tips for future travelers

Just know you will be treated as a VIP.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Acropolis & Flavors of Athens

Athens

Our guide Jo was INCREDIBLE! so personable and knowledgeable and she felt like she was a good friend to us. You could tell she was very passionate about her job and talked about studying to be sure she was aware of the latest news and info. Really the best!

Quality of Experience

Great informational tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Love, love, love Jo!

Transport

Be ready to walk!

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Greece

Had Will as our tour guide with another couple and he kept us laughing. Was great about pointing out unique facts of Santorini (often while singing or rhyming) and the four of us had wished he had been able to join us on wine tasting. Constantly taking pictures of us with our cameras so have great memories of the blue and white buildings and highest point of island.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hysterical and well educated.

Transport

Great!

Morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Be prepared to take yourself back to the days of Abba. Natalia and Lexi were gracious hosts on the boat and Captain Yiannis made sure we saw all the red, white and black beaches plus the hot springs where we covered ourselves with mud. Cocktails were flowing and dancing on the deck while sun set was such a memory! Great food and we all bonded with one another celebrating a 25th anniversary, a couple of birthdays, and hopefully future engagements.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My daughter and I just completed an epic 15 day tour of Iceland thanks to Francesca, our dedicated kimkim specialist.

Francesca delivered a flawless, personalized adventure that we will never forget.

As a seasoned traveler and past travel agent, I knew better than to try to curate this trip. I needed someone who knew where to go, how long it would take to get there, yet also have the insider information to direct us to off the beaten track sights and special gems.

Of the tour operators I contacted, kimkim was the only one that asked me for more information before recommending a general tour. Once Francesca assessed and understood our interests, activity level and expectations, she cooked up a highly personalized itinerary that met our needs and exceeded said expectations.

Glad we upgraded to an automatic AWD as the car was our home for some 1800 miles and the heated seats made a BIG difference. The car wifi also came in handy multiple times.

We truly loved our time at the different thermal spas we visited, the endless views, the constantly changing scenery and weather. Diamond beach was a favorite stop and driving the Western Fjords felt like playing a video game! Not for the faint of heart.

Thank you Francesca for a trip we will never forget. Thank you for your instant responses to my emails, your knowledge and expertise, your handholding and your availability for suggestions while we were traveling.

We loved every minute and mile of our trip to this enchanting country of fire and ice.

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Great place to start your trip...especially after a long overnight flight!

Quality of Experience

Earth Lagoon

Iceland

Go jump in the lake!

Quality of Experience

The Geothermal Vok Baths

Iceland

Go jump in the lake!

Quality of Experience

Rebecca planned the most incredible honeymoon! She picked the very best boutique hotels who had the most lovely staff. Our excursions were both relaxing and exciting and we never had to worry about our transfers. In the event that a taxi was running late or we just needed clarity Rebecca was always available. Thank you so much Rebecca and Grecian Lux!

Wow, this was honestly the best trip we’ve been on! All our guides were so knowledgeable and went above/beyond to give the best experience. We have so many unique photos to look back all thanks to this. Our guide in Santiago was the BEST in terms of being personable and just down to earth. Kudos to him! The winery tour was memorable and this coming from someone who didn’t really like wine! I found that the reds and whites were so different and I kept myself open to the overall experience. My partner Nathaniel liked the lagoon and how we got to float effortlessly. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience!!! Not only will we be going back to Chile, but now we have started thinking about going to Brazil. Emilce made this whole process a breeze and I will go through her in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Santiago El Bosque

Las Condes, Santiago

The view from the our room was so beautiful, to see the sun coming up over the city and through the mountains. The included breakfast had the freshest fruit, so much better than anything back home.

Tips for future travelers

Get an idea of your surroundings! You’ll find that there are tons of restaurants and cafes within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our Habitas Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

The private room/dwelling was wonderful with the terrace and grounds to walk around. The breakfast was delicious and the staff were so friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fauna Hotel

Valparaíso

The hotel was in a nice location and we could easily get around from it. Our room was unique and beautiful! The restaurant was fantastic and they had great views

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day Maipo Vineyards - Concha y Toro Winery: El Marqués Tour

Santiago

The grounds, the tour, and the attention to detail was perfect! This was our first tour and it set an awesome tone for the rest of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He was kind, friendly and we would recommend him!!

Transport

Rainbow Valley

San Pedro de Atacama

With the change in altitude and how dry it was, our guide did a great job of providing a tour that didn’t completely wear us out! He was so funny and took lovely pictures of us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Moon Valley and Mirador Ckari

San Pedro de Atacama

Our guide gave us a once in a lifetime experience! We walked on a dune and it was tough, but I would recommend it to everyone. I appreciated that he provided the tour but gave us space to explore.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cejar & Tebinquiche Lagoons - Atacama Salt Flat

San Pedro de Atacama

The lagoons and seeing where life may have started was amazing. Plus we saw some wildlife and got to float in a lagoon!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport