Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had a wonderful trip to London (2 days) followed by a week in Scotland. Justine set us up with two fabulous walking tours (thanks Guy and Gareth) and the best hotels! Highly recommend. Loved Edinburgh!

Hotel Reviews

The Clermont London, Victoria

London

Excellent location, friendly staff, nice breakfast, lobby was great! Room was small with no view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Market Street Hotel

Edinburgh

Excellent location, fabulous breakfast (best of our trip), free mini bar, great rooms (but no view). One staff member in the bar was very unpleasant on more than one occasion but all other service was great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tarradale Cottage

Portree

What a special treat! Excellent view of the water. Comfortable beds. Clean house. Nice to have all en suite bathrooms and laundry!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

No 26 by the Sea

Oban

Wonderful staff from the moment we walked in (with a champagne toast). Superb made to order breakfast. Whole inn was incredible. Cozy and comfortable room with amazing views! Can’t say enough positive!! Quiet and peaceful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Loch Lomond Guesthouse

Arden, Loch Lomond

Really nice family owned inn. Rooms were super clean with great Scottish plaid decorating and clean and cool bathrooms. They got up 30 min early to get us breakfast before our flight out. Really fresh and yummy breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Royal Morning Private Walking Tour

London

Guy was amazing! So much energy and so knowledgeable. He was extremely interested in the history and economics of London. We felt so fortunate to spend the morning learning and laughing with him!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Yay for Guy!

Entry tickets to The Churchill War Rooms

London

Best experience enhanced by having Guy walk us through and sharing his knowledge and passion. I think the audio guide would have been good but we were fortunate to have a special tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Gareth was very knowledgeable. We loved his stories! Learned so much in our three hours with him. Best way to start our time in Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dalwhinnie Classic Distillery Tour

Scotland

Such a cool distillery. So much history. And loved that they stressed “to go” bottles to avoid drinking and drinking. Got to take home three samples and a Dalwhinnie glass to enjoy at home.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a wonderful time on our trip to Morocco! Ali is the best travel agent I have ever worked with. He is very responsive and created a great itinerary y for us. The driver-guide was punctual, professional, had a clean car with AC and friendly. There was some variability with the local guides: the guide in Volubilis and Fez were good, but the one in Chefchaouen had limited knowledge of the local history. (We may have come in with high expectations as we were coming from Spain where we had guides who had graduate degrees in history or art history). We enjoyed staying at the Riads, with the exception of the riad in Fez. The Riad in Fez was beautiful but lacked in creature comforts: the beds were super firm, the towels in the bathrooms were worn out and the bread served at breakfast was stale. These details were surprising for a riad that is supposed to be 5-star! (We also strongly suspect we may have gotten food poisoning at this riad...). It would also have been helpful to have a better understanding of how much local crafts cost, it was unclear how we were supposed to attain that information. Nevertheless, we had an amazing trip to Morocco! Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

This was our favorite Riad! The beds were very comfortable, and the breakfast was excellent! Super fresh, delicious and in a beautiful courtyard.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

This riad is beautiful but it lacks in creature comforts. The beds are super firm, which was a problem for us side sleepers (our hips hurt!). They put an extra comforter down for us but it only marginally improved comfort. The bathroom towels provided were old and worn. The toiletries weren't as nice as we were expecting for a 5-star place. At breakfast, we were served stale bread. Needless to say, we were disappointed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Seemed close to things, but hard for us to know because we were advised not to wander on our own and were driven everywhere.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Replace towels in the bathroom with ones that are new and plush. Make fresh breakfast. Change the mattresses on the beds.

Riad Lina

Chefchaouen

Rooms were beautiful and comfortable. Breakfast was solid (not memorable but that means it wasn't bad either :)). Our favorite part of this riad was the pool. They have you reserve an hour for your group, so it was private. This turned the experience into a really wonderful one! Its a beautiful pool and we enjoyed our time together there.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Classic hotel. A little warm despite AC on the upper 8th floor. But otherwise comfortable. The staff were super nice and provided us with a little to-go breakfast at 5:30 am! (We were leaving for the airport and breakfast typically starts after 7am). We appreciated it.

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

The highlight of our trip! Volubilis is a can't miss! Impressive roman ruins. Guide was solid.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Exploration of the "Blue City" Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

The guide was limited in his knowledge of the local history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoy a private transfer from Fes to Casablanca

Morocco

Driver was punctual and professional.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque: Morocco's Architectural Marvel

Morocco

The guide gave a very broad overview of the mosque with limited information. The least informative guided tour we had during our entire trip. However, the mosque was worth visiting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Mosaïc & Pottery Workshop

Morocco

This was really fun. We were essentially immersed into a mosaic/pottery co-op. The pieces they were selling seemed on the expensive side (we paid $250 USD for a tagine). But we figured we would be supporting the artisans.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam & Spa experience in Fez

Fes

It was a solid spa experience, but nothing about it makes it stand out. We appreciated the convenience of it being in our riad but the fact that the riad was disappointing in many other ways it makes it hard to be enthusiastic about this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guided Tour of Fez Medina: Journey Through the World's Living Medieval City

Fes

Solid experience. Solid guide, though he could have expressed more enthusiasm for the content he was sharing. We appreciated the shops we were shown (tannery, argan oil)

Quality of Experience

Food

We were guided to a good restaurant with tasty Moroccan food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Okay, but not excellent.

Transport

We just returned from an incredible trip to Greece and couldn't be happier with the experience. All of our hotels were excellent - comfortable, clean and perfectly located for easy access to sights and local restaurants. The tours were fun and engaging with knowledgeable guides who shared so much history and local insight. Our drivers were always punctual and professional, taking the stress out of getting from place to place. Highly recommend Kim Kim (Lea and Siena) for anyone wanting to explore Greece without a single worry.

Hotel Reviews

Abelonas Retreat Sunset & Sunrise Lodgings

Santorini

Great location, beautiful views from the balcony. Claen and comfortable. Delicious breakfast delivered to your room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

City Lion

Heraklion Crete

Great location close to shopping and restaurants. Clean, comfortable and updated rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NLH Monastiraki

Athens

Great location near shops, sites and restaurants. Friendly staff. Very comfortable and clean rooms,

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Island Villages & Akrotiri Day Trip

Santorini

Great tour for travel around Santorini. Sakis was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and shared lots of history and local insight. Akrotiri was fascinating and as a bonus in an enclosed space out of the sun. Megalochori was a quaint village and the cave house tour was very interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I will start out by saying that this was by far the most we have ever spent on a 2 week family vacation, not including the airfare to and from Japan. However, the itinerary looked great and covered 5 locations in total, so we decided to go for it. I can now say that I have zero regrets and feel like we got a lot of value out of working with Kimkim, and in particular with our travel specialist, Eleanor.

As background, My family lived in Tokyo for 6 months back in 2017, and I lived in Kobe for a few years back in the mid 90's, so I speak Japanese and we are familiar with the culture, getting around, etc. We started our planning several months ahead of time, corresponding with Eleanor over chat. For our trip in mid-June, we wanted to visit familiar spots in Tokyo, and also stop by Kansai (Kyoto or Osaka), Hiroshima, Koyasan, Hokkaido (for the cooler climate), and Okinawa. We ended up dropping Okinawa because we would be too rushed and the flights would be a challenge.

We made some adjustments to the initial itinerary to reduce the cost, but Eleanor had wisely recommended against public transportation in some cases due to the extreme heat and humidity in June, and because it would be challenging in some cases to get a taxi for 4 people plus a guide. In some locations, it was easier to book 2 hotel rooms instead of a single room that fit all 4 of us, and we were comfortable doing that with our 12 and 15 year old boys since we knew Japan was very safe compared to the US. While we were sorting out trip details, we booked our flights to Japan, taking into consideration airline and timing advice that Eleanor provided. Once we had all the major parts in place, we made our deposit!

In the months before the trip, Eleanor checked in periodically, and gave us updates as she reserved trains (Shinkansen/bullet train) and domestic flights. We also make some minor adjustments to itinerary before our departure due to unforeseen circumstances and, Eleanor also caught a discrepancy between the itinerary and our return date. We really appreciated her professionalism and flexibility during those moments!

When we finally started our trip, we really understood the benefits of working with a Kimkim travel specialist - their extensive local knowledge and excellent service! It was a luxury to have private transfers to and from the airports. We had 2 larger suitcases for the adults and the kids each had a smaller carry-on sized bag, but we also each had backpacks. Spaces tend to be tighter in general in Japan, so it was nice to not have to wrangle our luggage onto trains to get around. Eleanor also strongly recommended car service from Kyoto to Koyasan. While I have been to Koyasan a few times before and always took trains and buses, it made things much easier and more relaxing.

Eleanor checked in with us regularly, and we were able to make some other small changes to our itinerary after getting to Japan, such as adjusting pickup and train times. We also had a minor issue with the included breakfasts at one hotel that Eleanor promptly resolved.

The private tours were all very good - we had guides who spoke very good English and were well-prepared to tell us about the sites they took us to. In some cases we had a private car, and in other cases we took public transportation, and the guides took care of purchasing train, bus, and ferry fares as well as entry fees to attractions. The only part that wasn't included was lunch in the middle of the day, but our guides recommended places to eat based on our preferences. A highlight for us was the Moss Canyon (or Corridor, aka Koke no Kairo) and Lake Shikotsu tour. The hike was relatively easy and short, but the ecosystem in Moss Canyon was magical - we saw many different types of moss, spider, mushrooms, snails, etc. It was a chance to be more mindful and present during a busy trip. In retrospect, I would have had days with shorter itineraries as we were often more tired than expected due to the hot and humid weather, but worth noting that while Hokkaido was still pretty warm, the air was more dry, similar to what we're used to in California.

All of the accommodations were also good, though each had their pros and cons. We had a few places with laundry facilities onsite, and almost all had breakfast included. They were always within walking distance of restaurants and shops, though some were in more industrial areas. The standouts were Umekoji Kadensho in Kyoto -- which was entirely shoes-free and had both private and public onsen baths -- and Rengejoin, a buddhist temple in Koyasan. I had stayed there before a few times, but this time we stayed in the stunning Himalaya suite.

All in all, we had a fabulous trip and were so grateful for the planning and support throughout from Eleanor!

The organisation & planning of the trip was great & the guides excellent
My only critique would be that apart from Oslo the hotel rooms were very small although the hotel staff everywhere were excellent

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ko

Transport

Oslo Dinner Cruise

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

The guide was great the weather very poor

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fjord Safari Taste

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Boat Trip to Fjærland

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visiting Japan, a country none of us had ever visited before, was a little daunting. Angel made excellent suggestions that enabled us to fulfill specific requests while also having memorable experiences. We were very happy with the expertise of our guides, which was first noticed as we navigated public transportation (trains, subways, buses, etc.). The guides answered all of our questions about local landmarks and provided good suggestions for modifying or augmenting our tours. We walked a lot of steps and endured a lot of heat, which is to be expected in June. The rain wasn't too bad, and in truth, we appreciated the guides popping into air-conditioned shops/stores as we moved about the cities.
Tokyo was a large area, and we crisscrossed the city via subway, seeing multiple shrines and temples, but also museums and eating locations. There was a lot more green in each city than we expected, and walking through gardens and greenbelts was helpful to counteract the heat. We had a good experience riding the bullet train (shinkansen) and had oversized luggage seats (which we probably didn't need since we only had a carry-on and backpack each). There were many last-minute questions that we asked of our local specialist (Angel), and she answered them all very quickly. I was happy to feel like we had some flexibility to alter our itinerary (during our tour days) on the recommendation of our guides, with the intent to avoid crowds or remain cool during the hot part of the day. Overall, each of our guides had excellent English and demonstrated very good local knowledge. We were able to answer most of the questions about Japan's history and some of its significant cultural aspects due to a thorough explanation from the guides prior. We remained in awe of the order and control of the society/country as a whole and remarked that we would return, as there were many areas that we didn't see. We were very happy with the KimKim experience and would use them again to build our itinerary on a future vacation.

Activity Reviews

Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo: Enter the Sanctuary

Tokyo

Learning about Sumo and watching the family participate was amazing. The sumo wrestlers were excellent - gracious and humble. We enjoyed their personalities and the lunch was very good. Finding and arriving on time was a little stressful as this was our first experience in Japan, but we persevered and had a great time. Having someone in the family to cheer for was an important part of the event. Photos were priceless.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Learning about Ninja/Samurai history and getting a chance to feel and touch the weapons (take pictures with) was fun. The tea ceremony with kimono was amazing - so much history and culture wrapped up in that event. My family very much enjoyed the matcha tea, and we found we loved the mochi (especially the cinnamon flavor). The host was very good at explaining the ritual but also at ensuring the customs were understood (and practiced).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kyoto Night Foodie Tour

Kyoto

Walking around at night gave us a different view of Kyoto and we appreciated the local food and drink. Our guide (Nami) was very accommodating and friendly. We were supposed to have another couple join us, but they cancelled so this became a defacto private tour. The food difference between Tokyo and Kyoto were noticeable - our guide explained why. Great experience on our last day in Japan.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I feel like Rinolda was over-worked or overwhelmed or something; she was slow to get back to us, a little snappy, and repeatedly did not listen/ absorb what we were saying about our arrival dates being staggered. I wouldn't use the service again; we spent more time going back and forth with her than we would have actually planning it ourselves.

Every guide we had was outstanding! Marlene who was our guide/driver for Versailles was a spirited, well-informed, humous and marvelous guide! Sin Se was a lovely guide for our tour on/in Montmartre! Camille, our guide for the castle tours and winery in the Loire Valley was simply outstanding! She was fun, funny, accommodating, and knows how to pivot when things are not quite right, or requests are made. Her Dad ended up our driver the next day to take us to the Tour train station and he was kind enough to stop at the Cathedral in tour for us to get a quick glimpse. Normandy Sightseeing Tour guide Emma was phenomenal for our beaches and cemetery experience. We had great drivers, including Hischam, who managed our rides and luggage for the Mont St. Michel. There were many highlights of the trip, but near the top were Versailles, the Louvre, cruise down the Seine, stay in the castle at La Tortiniere, tour of the Normandy beaches, the castles in Loire Valley (Amboise and Chenonceau), the town of Bayeux, Mont St. Michel and being up in the Eiffel Tower. AND, the French people were consistently LOVELY!

Hotel Reviews

Domaine de la Tortinière

Veigne

I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this place to stay!!! It was a beautiful setting and the staff could not have been more accommodating and nice. The woman who greeted us who expressed sincere enthusiasm that we were there, the gentlemen (I think Andre was his name) who managed all our luggage, the staff who helped us figure out how to turn our shower on [;)], all seemed to want to provide a great stay for us, and they succeeded!

Authenticity & Character

To be able to stay in a chateau as beautiful, clean and lovely was a treat! The breakfast spread was fabulous!!!!

Location

It had STUNNING views and we LOVED having a pool to unwind after four fun-filled but hectic days in Paris.

Staff

The staff were so friendly and gracious!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless!!!

Le Bayeux

Bayeux

The hotel was perfectly situated... close enough the the center hub for an easy walk, and distance enough to not have the night noises of people celebrating.

Authenticity & Character

Space in the rooms.

Location

Close enough to walk everywhere, but enough distance to not hear nighttime revelers.

Staff

Each shifts' staff was friendly, helpful and accommodating!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!

Auberge Saint-Pierre

LE MONT-SAINT-MICHEL

Super tight quarters!!! Centrally located on the rock which was nice.

Authenticity & Character

Total character - no ac, seagulls and pigeons who could enter one's room since there were no screens on windows!

Location

Room was tight for three.

Staff

Very little by way of dealings with staff. They were kind enough to allow us to leave our luggage in the dining area while we did a tour just before we left.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maybe screens on the windows. Realistically, any place on the rock has its understandable limitations.

Hôtel Lorette - Astotel

Paris

Although there only one night, the rooms were lovely, clean. The area was very cool. The food/drink spread they have in the lobby for guests was unbelievable and fabulous! The staff was lovely.

Authenticity & Character

The refreshments in the lobby, the beautiful decor, the lovely staff... just terrific!

Location

Very cool area of Paris. Would have liked to explore it more if we'd had the time.

Staff

The night staff desk clerk was super helpful in giving us bags to put our soaking wet clothes (caught in the storm). The hotel had take-out breakfast bags for us which was so lovely since we were leaving so early in the morning.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless!!!!

Activity Reviews

Paris: Illuminations Seine River Cruise

Paris

I loved this! It was such an incredible treat to be able to say that I was able to cruise down the Seine. I liked having the guide point out various sites, but she didn't overdo it! This ride was a highlight for me.

Quality of Experience

It was a great way to end a long day of walking and touring.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide we had was well-versed and did not overdo on all she knew about what she was pointing out.

Transport

We had learned to navigate the Metro quite well!

Half-day Versailles & Gardens private tour

France

Can one really put into words how spectacular this place is?! It was BEAUTIFUL! Our guide could not have done a better job of navigating the crowds while simultaneously providing a wealth of information on the history. She also made sure she took pictures with all of us (7).

Quality of Experience

What a stellar piece of history that is being preserved and also providing such beautiful history.

Food

We got sandwiches and baked goods at our local bakery back near our Air BNB.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marlene was a FABULOUS guide!! Her humor, her ability to navigate the crowds and the wealth of information she had was incredible.

Transport

Marlene navigated getting us in/out of Paris in crazy traffic while simultaneously pointing out historic places on the way out and back into the city.

Guided Family Tour of Montmartre

Paris

SinSe' was a terrific guide. It was an unexpected treat to see exactly where so many famous artists lived and painted. The stories those cobbled streets and hills own...amazing!

Quality of Experience

I enjoyed the history of the area - the artists, the martyr stories,...

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sin se' did a great job! Getting to meet up with him via the Metro was a mess.

Transport

See above about navigating the Metro for this particular trip.

Ruth helped us with our trip. I already had some things organized and wanted to include my son who is on vacation work visa. It was not easy to cobble around all of that. But she was patient and it all worked out brilliantly. Every tour we went on was a unique experience and we enjoyed them all tremendously. The bike tour of Sydney was fantastic, the nightime glow worm adventure in Byron bay was amazing and so was kayaking with dolphins. Another fabulous experience was the river float on Mossman river up by Port Douglas. I never thought I would enjoy tours so much.
Cheers to Ruth! Thank you for making that all possible. We would have missed so much without your guidance.

Paula planned the perfect trip for our family to see a little bit of everything that we asked to do! We made wonderful memories that I will cherish forever!

Hotel Reviews

Novotel Newcastle Beach

Newcastle

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ibis World Square

Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Welcome Melbourne

Melbourne

It is tucked away in the middle of Chinatown- fun location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pacific Hotel Cairns

Cairns

Loved the location and style- great place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

the perfect length- 1 hour- to get a lot of fascinating information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Outer Barrier Reef Cruise (Snorkeler)

Australia

This whole excursion was such a well organized, planned out trip. The boat ride over had a very informative talk given by one of the marine biologists and the staff was all positive and happy. The lunch was great. While on the floating station, not crowded, and again the staff was helpful and informative, The views underneath of the coral reef were beautiful and stunning.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Great Ocean Road Tour with Lunch

Melbourne

A long day, but completely worth the views and the walk through the rainforest. A bonus stop at a little chocolate shop along the way with beautiful choices.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairns Private Transfer Airport to Cairns Hotel

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Best of Fitzroy Island

Cairns

It was not a crowded excursion which was nice. I think going in winter helped! Felt like we were on our own private beach at Nudey Beach

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairns Private Transfer Cairns Hotel to Airport

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Phillip Island & Moonlit + Penguin Plus with Dinner

Australia

Highlight of our time in Melbourne! There is nothing cuter than watching these little penguins come in! The animal sanctuary was fantastic as well- we pet so many kangaroos and wallabies.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Dinner Cruise Window Seat (from Circular Quay Wharf)

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Melbourne Private Transfer Airport to Hotel

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

Loved the farm visit along with the gorgeous views up in the mountains. The Botanical Garden was a nice way to end the day as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

My husband loved the meat pie he ordered for lunch!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was a perfect mix of info and a funny character!

Transport

Sydney Private Transfer Hotel to Airport

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Melbourne Private Transfer Hotel to Airport

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip planned with Ruth was perfect! Queenstown was a beautiful city and the excursions that we went on were just right! The gondola and luge tickets were just right for the day we arrived. The Milford Sound day tour was amazing- it is a long day but so worth it!! It was a bright sunny day and our tour guide was informative and fun! The Walters Peak Farm and BBQ lunch was a great way to spend our last afternoon- leaving room for some last minute shopping in town and enjoying the beautiful weather!

Hotel Review

Millennium Hotel Queenstown

queesntown

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is up on a steep hill so easy to walk down to town (~10minutes), but a tougher walk home up the hill.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Milford Sound Glass Roof Van/CruiseVan

Queenstown (NZ)

Breathtaking!

Quality of Experience

Our driver, Tommy! He was awesome! And we really lucked out with beautiful weather.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Van was perfect size- loved the small group verses a large bus group.

Walter Peak Farm and Gourmet Barbecue Lunch

New Zealand

BBQ Lunch was great- so many options and loved some of the unique offerings. The farm setting is just quaint and beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Queenstown Private Transfer Airport to Hotel

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Queenstown Private Transfer Hotel to Airport

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire trip was amazing. The itinerary set up very well. All of the tours and guides were fantastic. The glacier walk was very interesting and the kayaking beautiful. We especially enjoyed the whale watching trip. The guide and Captain were both exceptional and made it very fun. We loved how close we were able to get to the whales We were lucky to enjoy good weather on all the tour days as well. One of our favorite spots was the Við Lónið Guesthouse, and the town of Seyðisfjörður.

The only issue we encountered was the Torg GuestHouse. Once we got it, the room was so small that there was barely any space for our luggage or to walk around. There was also construction going on around the square so it just didn't have a good feel.

All the other hotels were great to nice and we enjoyed our stay at each - especially the ones that had pools to lounge in.

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

It is a very spread out property, rooms were large, hot tub available and the breakfast was fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful setting and guest room buildings were spread out over the property.

Location

Centrally located to everything we were scheduled to see in the Golden Circle

Staff

Very proper and polite

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Jökulsárlón - Glacier Lagoon Hotel

Hofn

Beautiful property!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful property with a lovely patio with views and two hot tub pools that many guests, including ourselves enjoy.

Location

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Húsafell

Húsafell, Borgarbyggð

Beautiful property! Enjoyed the hot tub pools. Restaurant was top notch. Great hiking around there if you have time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Við Lónið Guesthouse

Seyðisfjörður

It was a fun property!

Authenticity & Character

Old historic building converted into guestrooms.

Location

The views were amazing! Right in town - walk to everything.

Staff

No staff on property but the communication was great!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable.

Hotel Holt—The Art Hotel

Reykjavík

Older property. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Laxá

Myvatn

Hotel was nice. Rooms were smaller but had a good view.

Authenticity & Character

Just standard looking property

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Torg GuestHouse

Akureyri

Authenticity & Character

The room and bathroom were so small - barely fit our luggage and bathroom was hard to move around in

Location

Location was good but some construction going on and hard to access.

Staff

No staff on site - could not access the room upon arrival as we never received a code for the door.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Djúpivogur

East Fjords

4 star only because we had bad weather that day and couldnt see see anything.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Iceland

First waterfall we saw and it was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Geysir Geothermal Area

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Glacier Walk & Kayaking Experience in Vatnajökull National Park

Iceland

Very interesting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

Quality of Experience

The tectonic plates and hiking around. Not difficult but beautiful and interesting.

Geothermal Bakery Experience

Golden Circle

Quality of Experience

The bread you tasted at the end was fresh out of the "oven" and delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laugarvatn Fontana Spa

Golden Circle

First "spa" experience. Didn't spend a ton of time there becuase we still had some sights to see. It was lovely with beautiful views and very relaxing.

Quality of Experience

Explore Vík

Iceland

Beautiful town with black sand beaches.

Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Skogafoss Waterfall

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Reynisfjara Beach & Reynisdrangar Columns

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Dyrhólaey Arch and Cliffs

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

Iceland

Simplu stunning!

Quality of Experience

Explore Seyðisfjörður

Iceland

beautiful little spot. one of our favorites.

Quality of Experience

Dettifoss, Selfoss, and Hafragilsfoss

Iceland

Every waterfall unique and beautiful

Quality of Experience

Goðafoss Waterfall

Iceland

Just when you think you have seen them all you come across Godafoss waterfall. Stunning.

Quality of Experience

Explore Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Whale Watching RIB Boat

Iceland

Absolutly amazing experience with a supberb guide and caption.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Forest Lagoon Pool Experience

Iceland

Beautiful spa experience.

Quality of Experience

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

Absolutely amazing way to end our trip. The best spa/pool experience!

Quality of Experience

Explore Akureyri

Iceland

We preferred the remote places as opposed to a city in Iceland.

Quality of Experience

Grabrok Crater

West Iceland

4 stars becuase we hit it on a very windy day and was difficult conditions. Good experience though.

Quality of Experience

Explore Reyðarfjörður

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Grjotagja Cave

Lake Mývatn

Cool place expecially if you are a Game of Thrones fan. Don't need much time there.

Quality of Experience

Geological Wonders of Lake Myvatn

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Hraunfossar

Iceland

Another beautiful unique waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Kolugljúfur Canyon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

We just returned from an amazing 10 days in Japan to celebrate our daughter's high school graduation. From our first contact with KimKim and Greg, our trip planner, the process was smooth and efficient. Greg asked great questions and listened to our wishes to plan our itinerary. His knowledge of Japan helped us immensely! He took care of so many things for us - airport pickups, Wifi devices delivered to our outstanding hotels, train tickets with “Fuji view” seats and reservations for dinners and experiences. Some of our favorites were small group activities to make our own chopsticks, learn calligraphy from an expert, eat new foods with a local guide and participate in a tea ceremony in kimonos. His guidance was invaluable and his communication was thorough and timely. When we had an issue with tickets for an event, it was solved within 10 minutes of sending a WhatsApp message. We would definitely use KimKim and Greg if we are ever lucky enough to visit Japan again!

We had used Kim Kim lin 2024 for the tour of Brazil so we used KimKim again in June 2025 to experience the incredible diversity of African wildlife in their natural habitats in Kenya and Tanzania. The itinerary included visit to Amboseli National park with Majestic snow capped Mount kilamanjaro in the background and Maasai Mara reserve, Nakuru Reserve and Lake Naivasha in Kenya and world famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Caldera in Tanzania. To rest and recharge, we stayed at beautiful lake Victoria in Tanzania. Jospeh worked very well with us to complete the itinerary to our satisfaction.

This is a truly an unforgettable trip of lifetime. June weather was perfect with cool breeze, and partly cloudy conditions helped us throughout our tour. Our Tanzanian guides Festo and Godbless and Kenyan guides George and Sano ( Stanley)
were so special that they made the entire trip an informative and fun. The places to see picked were unique and gave greater insight first hand to life of many beautiful animals in their natural habits to find food and survive in the wildlife . Kudos to KimKim for making the itinerary so that we could see lions, lionesses , and their cubs, cheetahs, leopard, elephants, Buffaloes , giraffes, Rhinos, Hoppos, gazelles, impalas, Zeebras, wothhogs . Despite the change in the rain patterns, we did see a part of Wildebeests migration in Serengeti . Hot Balloon ride over Masai Mara Reserve was awesome.

The sound smells, and the side of African bush will stay with us forever, along with amazing people with the warm and open hearts. Spending a night at the Maji Moto Maasai Cultural camp (Kenya), on traditional leafy beds under the stars in sleeping bags (provided), with the protection of warriors throughout the night is a once in a life time experience.

The range of emotions that we experienced in Safari has always been refreshing for me and to witness as well as share the emotions that are being exhibited by others in the safari vehicle is satisfying to me. Being out in nature for hours, watching raw African wildlife as it unfold in front of our eyes, unedited unscripted unplanned can never be replicated anywhere else. A place where mother nature plays for her role in every outcome.

Only blemish we experiennced in the tour was no hotwater in Serengeti Heritage Luxury Tented Camp. It was challenging to navigate two nights without running hot water or flushable toilets. KimKim should work with Heritage Camp to resolve these issues so that the future traverls will not have challening experiences.

Thank you KimKim for our making dream come through. We are using Kim Kim for our next tour of New Zealand.

Marur Dev,

Robert did an excellent job of organizing this trip and was always very prompt with responses to questions and issues we raised. All the guides and drivers were very timely, came to our assistance very effectively, despite the crowds and our limited knowledge of travel practices and helpful with expected activities. The assistance was always friendly and knowledgeable. The facilities and associated activities we were always top notch, with appropriate support information.
Reservations were timely and modified as required.

Alex and Nick planned a great trip. Communication was easy, timely, and useful. Only minor hiccups, but they were handled quickly. The next time I need travel booking help, I will use kimkim.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Grand Tromsø

Tromsø

Hotel offered exactly what we needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordis Suites

Svolvær

Beautiful view of the harbor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Be sure to have the taxi drop you off near the Nordis restaurant. We were dropped off at the wrong location, but it was only a short walk to the correct place. Building is close to everything in town.

Staff

We did not interact with staff except to call and get our apartment code. It would be helpful if they had What'sApp.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Tromsø

Tromsø

Tromsø is a wonderful small city. Beautiful views. Very easy to each airport bus to city center.

Quality of Experience

Midnight Sun Cruise

Tromsø

Beautiful views. The guide on the boat was really funny and knowledgeable about the local area. She was great.

Quality of Experience

Locals Guide to Svolvær

Svolvær

Small town, but one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

Quality of Experience

Husky Puppy Training Visit

Tromsø

So much fun. Really nice facility. Beautiful views on hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Arctic Cathedral Visit

Tromsø

Such a beautiful church.

Quality of Experience

Explore Tromsø

Norway

Nice, walkable city.

Quality of Experience

Private Lofoten Floating Sauna Experience

Svolvær

Really nice sauna. Try the polar plunge at least once.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked and did not use transport. It is a short walk from the main harbor area.

Trollfjord Cruise by Electric Boat

Svolvær

Incredibly beautiful even though it was raining and cold. Guides were very knowledgeable, friendly, and nice.

Quality of Experience

Our trip to Norway was planned out in steps with Alex who asked us questions and planned a trip tailored to our likes.
The trip was stress free! It was all planned with some down time in between the bigger events.
The app was easy to use and we enjoyed our tour of Norway!
I would highly recommend using KimKim!

Had a lovely 2-week vacation in The Netherlands, primarily in Haarlem and The Hague. This was my second trip to the Netherlands and my husband's first. Every time I go, I fall more in love with the Dutch way of living! Our travel specialists, Nadine and Bas, were amazing and always helpful when we needed them. I would definitely recommend them whether you want a very organized, fully packed trip or a more laid back, open ended one. They really take good care of you!

Hotel Reviews

Boutiquehotel Staats

Haarlem

My favorite hotel in all of The Netherlands! Each room is unique and fanciful. The breakfast is delicious and the staff could not be more friendly and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

Creative and unique

Location

Just 2 blocks from the train station and 3 blocks to the historic district

Staff

Kind and welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel des Arts

Amsterdam-Centrum

Building dates back to the 1700s. Charming and quaint, it is in a great location. About one block from the (spotless) metro. Convenient to seeing many sites in Amsterdam. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mai Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Beijers

Utrecht

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful! Each room is unique in it's own way.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Due to the historic nature of the hotel, there is no AC. Probably not an issue for some, but just know this when you are making your plans.

Activity Reviews

Public Transport Pass Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Can't live without this! Makes travel within the country so easy!

Haarlem - cycling to the beach

The Netherlands

The bike culture in the The Netherlands is the envy of the world and for a good reason!

Quality of Experience

Our interactions with the team including Cathy and Stephen were most positive. Stephen provided wonderful support in the planning and he and Cathy were most helpful in trouble shooting when we had issues.
Our walking tours were exceptional in Dublin, Kinsale and on Achill Island. The tour guides were extremely open to questions and in engaging with us. We learned so much from them.

Luis was exceptional. He gave us his undivided attention every moment of every day we were with him. His knowledge of the history and culture of the Cusco/Sacred Valley region facilitated extremely education experiences, and his energy kept us active and ensured days full of adventure. Though we spent less time with them, our guides in Lima and the Altiplano were wonderful too.

Hotel Reviews

Terra Andina Mansion Colonial

Cusco

The breakfasts and staff were very good. Unfortunately, the accommodations left quite a lot to be desired. The room was very cramped, had no windows or other means of ventilation, and was way too warm at night. There was no room for unpacking luggage. The bathroom smelled of sewage. The hot water was unreliable. And, the soap and shampoo dispensers remained empty, despite our requests that they be refilled. The building has a beautiful interior, but we would opt for a Motel 6 over such an uncomfortable facility.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful colonial interior

Location

Close to main square, market, and other attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cramped. Sewage smell. Hot at night. No window or other means of ventilation.

Urubamba Ava Valle Sagrado Spot

Urubamba

Beautiful rustic hotel with great staff. Unreliable hot water and no bathroom ventilation.

Authenticity & Character

Pleasantly rustic

Location

Close to town and restaurants

Staff

Great staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable except for lack of hot water and bathroom ventilation

Sonesta Posadas del Inca Puno

Puno

Beautiful view, great staff, good restaurant, comfortable room. More modern than our other accommodations while in Peru.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lakefront with mountain view

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tierra Viva Miraflores Larco

Lima

The accommodations were comfortable, and the locations was convenient. There was no electricity or hot water the first night.

Authenticity & Character

I'm not sure what's meant here by authenticity. This is a modern boutique hotel without a lot of character, but it was comfortable. The breakfast was good.

Location

Close to restaurants and a short drive to Barranco.

Staff

The staff were courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was comfortable, but the lack of electricity the first night was a little inconvenient. The room was clean.

Tierra Viva Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Beautiful hotel in a great location. Close to all the in-town attractions. Very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Modern but with a lot of character. Spacious room. Welcoming entrance atrium with an interesting glass door elevator.

Location

Close to everything in Aguas Calientes.

Staff

The staff were very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The accommodations were clean and comfortable.

Activity Review

Walking food tour at Barranco

Lima

Ceci was a great guide. The tour was very informative, and we got to try quite a lot of different foods. Most of the food was prepared in front of us with the chefs explaining the process as they went. Barranco is beautiful. A must-do tour.

Quality of Experience

Great guide, beautiful area, great food, and helpful demonstrations and explanations.

Food

All the food was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ceci told us about her and her families experiences and customs with particular foods and drinks. This helped us to understand the food within the greater context of the local culture. All the chefs and hosts were courteous and eager to provide detailed explanation.

Transport

It was a walking tour, which suited us and made for a more relaxing experience.