Kimkim Trip Reviews for Belgium

Great guides esp in Ypres
Great hotels esp in Antwerp and Bruges
Would include the alter of Ghent in tour and the Madonna sculpture in tour
Thanks

I took a trip to Belgium to visit military history sites with my teenage son. Having not been to the country, I needed help choosing accommodations and activities. Nadine took all the stress out of planning the trip and suggested hotels and activities I never would have found without her. The whole process was seamless. The private tour guides were excellent, and even gave us special gifts. Nadine and her colleagues were available to help with questions/problems I had while traveling. I highly recommend using her expertise to and experience to make sure each day of your trip is memorable and as stress free as possible.

Hotel Reviews

La Merveilleuse

Dinant

I would recommend staying in a deluxe room in the newer addition of the hotel (gray stone building behind the abbey). My first night I stayed in a room in the older building, which was not what I was expecting. However the hotel upgraded me to the deluxe room which overlooked a beautiful garden. The breakfast was very good.

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Cleanliness & Comfort

Only the deluxe room met the standard I wanted. I would not stay here unless it was a deluxe room.

Comic Art Hotel

Ghent

I loved everything about this hotel. Spotlessly clean, charming art, good view, well located, and the best breakfast of the trip. They serve omelettes and have a great selection of breakfast items,

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Hotel FranQ

Antwerp

This hotel was very clean, luxurious, well appointed and quiet. The breakfast was excellent!

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Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel des Galeries

Brussels

Excellent location near the best restaurants, and short walk to the train station. Despite its central location, it is quiet and peaceful.

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Location

Staff

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Activity Reviews

Kayaking on the Lesse from Dinant

Dinant

The kayaking on the Lesse River from Dinant was an incredibly physical but rewarding experience. It was hot, but the adventure was worth it. We had initially planned to do some climbing afterward, but due to scheduling issues, the climbing wasn't available in the morning. We ended up kayaking first and were too tired to go back for climbing. For future travelers, I would recommend planning only one of these activities per day, especially if it's hot, to avoid fatigue. Overall, kayaking was enough to fill the day with excitement.

Waterloo - Namur - Dinant

Belgium

The visit to the battlefield was definitely the highlight of our whole trip. The guide was so knowledgable, and it was so informative!

We interacted directly with mieke during the later half of planning and during the time we were there. Everything was good. When we needed help finding our way we were messaged with help right away. We love all the places, but our favorite was Bruges, Gent, the Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and then Antwerp.

Everything was well planned and very enjoyable. The driver was very accommodating and all the locations and services were top notch.

We had a wonderful 5 days in Belgium . BAs arranged excellent accommodation in Antwerp and Brussels that had perfect locations for walking to attractions and food and drinks.
Our guide in Antwerp, Dave, was knowledgeable, friendly and really loves his city. Even though it poured with rain during most of our tour he persevered and we didn’t feel that we had been short changed at all. He was also our guide the next morning when the sun was out and showed us some more of his beautiful town.
Janne was our lovely guide in Ghent for the morning and we thoroughly enjoyed her view of her city. Very knowledgeable and funny and such a good guide, we learnt a lot about Ghent and its place in the old world.
We had a couple of easy tours on our own one to a chocolate factory and museum and another to a beer brewery.
The whole experience dealing with kimkim agents has been only positive and we’ve already booked our 3rd one for next year.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel des Galeries

Brussels

The location is great for wandering around the older parts of the city and through the Galleries passages. The rooms are clean and surprisingly large by European standards.

Authenticity & Character

In some ways it’s a very simple hotel with a few quirks. All good quirks though

Location

Perfect for wandering around, very safe and lots of beautiful Belgian chocolate shops close by.

Staff

The staff really make this place special, really helpful with tips on where to eat and drink away from the tourist traps. Always friendly and willing to help sort any problems out

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable but I found it odd that the room didn’t contain a small fridge of any kind. Coffee and tea were provided but no milk or creamer, and no way of keeping milk cold. There was also no electric jug in the room making tea. Staff were always willing to bring a teapot of hot water or a jug of milk to the room but it was a bit odd.

Hotel FranQ

Antwerp

Fabulous staff, great location, clean and very welcoming

Authenticity & Character

It’s a little bit quirky in its interior design and very comfortable. Some of the original features are still in place

Location

Really close to lots of historical sites and excellent bars and eateries

Staff

Would have to be one of the best assets of this hotel. Very welcoming and helpful always

Cleanliness & Comfort

The best bed!

Activity Reviews

Antwerp - Private guided Evening walking tour

Antwerp

Dave is a passionate and lovely guide, we immediately felt comfortable with him. And we felt really sorry for him because it rained quite heavily on our tour but he was such a trooper that we kept going! The next day was a lot better and we had a really good tour of old town. We tried amazing chocolate s and a really smooth liqueur. He showed us covered canals and all sorts of things that we would never have found on our own or maybe missed by being part of a larger group

Quality of Experience

Antwerp - Private guided walking tour

Belgium

Dave also took us on this tour and I can’t recommend him enough.

Quality of Experience

Antwerp - De Koninck Beer Brewery Tour

Belgium

Well worth a visit but the entry process is a bit of a shambles. One person selling tickets, pouring beers and checking those ticket holders who purchased on line. The whole place felt a little understaffed

Quality of Experience

We had a wonderful 2-week trip to Belgium and The Netherlands. We worked with Bas and Mieke. They were thorough and provided us with a wealth of knowledge. During the planning process and throughout our trip, Mieke was amazingly responsive, day and night!

We enjoyed the flexbility in travel style we had with them. Our trip was a mix of self- led and private guided travel. We used public transportation extensively. The detailed instructions on all forms of public transportation was much appreciated.

Our Kim Kim trip was excellent. It saved us a ton of time in planning and research. Our organizer Mieke was super helpful and we enjoyed all her recommendations. Having all the trains tickets and passes made traveling easy and saved alot of time. We spent 10 days travelling through the Netherlands and Belgium . Both were wonderful countries with much to see and do. The tours we took were all well organized and informative. Its always great to spend some time with local people and get there perspective on their cities and country.

I arranged a side trip to Belgium from Amsterdam through KimKim. We went to Amsterdam to attend my son’s wedding. There were three separate ceremonies and a number of additional activities. After all the festivities, our goal was to enjoy some carefree traveling without any pressure and with all the plans made in advance. The travel plans through KimKim started in Amsterdam where we were picked up by an excellent driver with a nice van. The previous night, the driver and I texted and confirmed the pickup location and time. Our first stop was Brussels. The driver was friendly and very accommodating. We stopped along the way for coffee and a snack. We were safely delivered to our hotel, Hotel Dixseptieme, about midday. Our hotel and room were excellent. The daily breakfast was also top notch. In Brussels, we met up with my cousin who gave us a tour of the countryside and the city over the next two days. Nothing like having a local take care of our every need. Our next stop was Ghent on our way to Bruge. A driver was supposed to pick us up 9:30 but no one showed. I had texted the number the night before but did not get a response. I didn’t know I was texting a landline. When the driver didn’t show, I called the taxi company and they were unaware of the booking. I immediately called the emergency line and Meike went to work. Unfortunately a driver didn’t arrive until after 11:00 reducing our time in Ghent and making that day somewhat of a disappointment and hectic. The driver showed up in a little taxi and he was not familiar with Brussels. We were going around in circles trying to get out of town. Just about every road was under construction and we were rerouted at every turn. The driver was trying hard but the trip and miserable. Once we arrived in Ghent, we were met by a most pleasant guide,Christien Batsle, who walked us through the town and gave us history lessons and tales to embellish the beautiful surroundings. Our tour was cut short to make time for our scheduled boat tour. The tour included a chocolatier and a nice box of delicious chocolates. There was no time for lunch. We proceeded to the boat tour and got a different perspective of the charming little town. From there we scrambled back to the taxi where our driver took us on to Bruge in the same small taxi. The same driver and car was scheduled to drive us the final day to Antwerp and Amsterdam on the final day of our excursion. The driver was not happy with the plan and asked if we could find another driver from Antwerp to Amsterdam. I got back in touch with Meike requesting that she sort out the situation. When we arrived in Bruge we were exhausted and glad to have a nice room to relax in and a beautiful little historical hotel, Boutiquehotel ‘t Fraeyhuis, with beautiful grounds and restaurant. I asked the owner and front desk lady to help me find a driver for the final day drive. She and her brother called a couple companies, got prices and gave me the info that I passed along to Meike. Fortunately, the change was made and we had an excellent driver and car for the final day of our excursion. We spent two nights in Bruge. While the hotel was nice and everyone was very accommodating, it was problematic. There was no lift and we were up two and a half flights of narrow stairs which is fine for young able bodied people. My husband is 80 and has two replaced knees. He managed to get up and down, but there was no way for him to manage our luggage. For check in, there was a nice young man that happily helped us out. For our check out there were no men on duty. Two young ladies had to carry our bag down the stairs. We were so thankful for all of their help! The hotel and the staff were excellent and very professional. In Bruge we were met at the hotel for an extensive walking tour of the town. Our tour guide, Roland Schils, was very knowledgeable and happy to show us all over Bruge. Of all of the places we visited, I think Bruge was our favorite. We walked almost 12,000 steps on that tour. The following day we were picked up at the hotel and driven to Antwerp where we visited the Red Star Line Museum. My great grandparents immigrated to the US on one of their ships @ 1900. The museum is very interesting. The driver waited while we toured and then drove us back to our hotel in Amsterdam. Belgium is a delightful country to visit. I’m so glad that we were able to take this trip. With the exception of the transportation issues from Brussels to Bruge, we had an excellent trip. Meike got the problem resolved to our satisfaction. And I have to put a good word in for the poor taxi driver who had to drive from Ghent to pick us up in Brussels and then drive us back to Ghent, wait for us and then drive us on to Bruge. He was a very nice man who tried to do his best under the circumstances. Unfortunately his little hot, older, small taxi car was not his doing. Our knees were up against the front seats. This is maybe ok for a short taxi drive, but not for a long distance drive. His objection to the second drive to Amsterdam was a blessing.
I’m thankful that I asked for the phone numbers of the drivers and tour guides ahead of the trip and added them to my contacts. As Americans we make assumptions that hotels have elevators and cars have air conditioning. If we take another trip to Europe, we’ll be better prepared.

I found the planning to be very accurate to our preferences, We enjoyed the trip and used our time in a very efficient manner. We did not meet Mieke but had very fast response when we needed.
There were a couple of small details: upon arrival our at midnight our taxi was not the one or the type of car that was informed. Anyways we did not have a problem with that. The hotel in Rotterdam did not have a paid reservation. We had to pay but were reimbursed 2 days later.
I think the cost was bit high, that’s why I am not giving 5 stars, but still think that it was valuable because we made the most of our time.
Thanks!

Hotel Reviews

Warwick Brussels - Grand Place

Brussels

Old, outdated. Very good location. Would not repeat

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Staff

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Comic Art Hotel

Ghent

Beautiful , modern and clean!

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Premier Suites Plus Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Great option for people who are travelling for several days, because its a small apartment, with kitchen and fridge. It has a free laundry that we really appreciated, and the location is the best

Authenticity & Character

Location

Meters from central station

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Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Rokin

Amsterdam

Hotel was under reformation, I think we should have gone somewhere else, considering what we were paying. The room was already refurbished and the breakfast area also. Breakfast was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Undergoing construction.

Activity Reviews

Ghent - Scenic Boat Tour

Belgium

Excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ghent - Guided Cycling Tour

Belgium

Guide was very pleasant.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Private canal cruise

Belgium

Excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amsterdam - Grand Dutch food & history tour

Belgium

Really enjoyed the combination of walking and snacks

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The holiday was very enjoyable as we visited all the major art galleries that we wanted to. It was a pleasure to be picked up by car and not have to worry about finding taxis. A special mention should be made of Blacklane Chauffer as the vehicles were top quality and the driver Antonio very obliging. We enjoyed the small family Loretta hotel in Bruges as the hostess and staff were very friendly. On the other hand the small hotel in Brussels, the Café Pacific, was not very welcoming, the facilities in the room were a little lacking, and the small bar area, although advertised as a champagne and cocktail bar, was not open in the evening. Some people returning from the evening meal and wanting a nightcap would be quite disappointed.
The highlight for us was visiting the Rubenshuis and the Rocox museum in Antwerp, although the Musee des Beaux Artes in Brussels came a close second.

Working with Sophie from L'Objectif France was great. She took the time to phone me to ask important questions. She was quick to reply to my questions and requests. Thanks to Sophie, we were able to fit in a lot of neat things in such a short tip. The Road Book Sophie put together with the itinerary and directions - including maps - was fantastic. I have never seen a comparable book from another agent.

The car transfers arranged in Brussels with Blacklane were superb. Clean, comfortable vehicles and professional drivers. Drivers were on time/early.

Waffle tour (can't remember company or name of guide) was really neat and provided a memorable experience. The waffles we made themselves were so-so, but the history and knowledge of Belgian waffles in general was really neat.

Day trip to Ghent and Bruges with Brussels City Tours was good. Weather was pretty miserable, but the guide was great and knowledgeable. Spoke/walked at a good pace. Made for a long day, but I felt like I got a good sense of both places without being rushed or with too much time doddling.

City tour of Brussels was ok, also with Brussels City Tours. This was originally scheduled for our first day, which is ideal for me as a traveller in order to get a sense of the city at the beginning of the stay. This tour was rescheduled due to low booking. Sophie was great about getting in touch to communicate the change and allowed us time to decide if we wanted to keep our booking. They ended up having a last minute cancellation, so it was just the two of us on the tour with a big coach bus. Was nice to see more of Brussels other than the city centre, but there was too much time on the coach and I would not have enjoyed the tour if the bus was full. Definitely prefer tours with more walking.

The chocolate tour of Brussels with Groovy Brussels was amazing! Highly recommend.

Private tour of Liège was good. Interesting city history. Guide focused a lot on architecture and churches a little too much. Felt like we could have seen more if we didn't spend so much time on individual buildings talking about windows and lines.

Kimkim overall was a useful tool. As a Canadian, I would have liked to pay in the local currency rather than USD so I didn't essentially pay the exchange rate twice. There seemed to be a technical glitch when a second traveller was added, which made payment more complicated than it would have been otherwise. If it worked properly, would have worked great to split the costs between two travellers. It also would have been nice to have a breakdown of costs for each itinerary item as well as more info upfront about how the agent's costs work. I noticed each time I asked for a change, her fees went up. This made me hesitant to ask for changes. However, the amount of time I saved by not looking up tours and hotels myself was well worthwhile.