Kimkim Trip Reviews for Croatia

This trip was for my husband’s 40th birthday and I would say it was an incredible way to start a new chapter! We can truly say we have seen every bit of beautiful Croatia, and what a gem it is!!!
First of all, I could not have done this without the tireless hours Robi put into planning this itinerary! We went in early November and we really enjoyed the fall weather and low crowds!!! Only minor downfall was that in some of the smaller towns, restaurant options were minimal and stores were closed for the season. But we would take that exchange for the low crowds we had the entire trip!
Robi was a rockstar with the constant communication on WhatsApp the entire trip. It was like having our personal tour guide in our pocket!!! He dropped pins of sites, restaurants, ice cream shops, and parking. Kept us up to date with the following day’s agenda, time line, who we would meet, etc. He made the trip so seamless!!
Had a great tour guide in Zagreb, named Mario, that not only picked us up from the airport on our arrival, but toured us around and passionately spoke about his country and Zagreb. Just great!
Matej delivered a rental car to us, and also picked it back up in Split. He also drove us back to the airport for our departing flight home. Took great care of us!
Robi had us vouchers and times of our arrival for Plitvice and Krka National Parks and made those experiences just wonderful! The national parks and immense amount of waterfalls were just breathtaking! It was also lovely to tour those parks without the intense heat or crowds that are typical in the high season. Those parks were a big highlight of our trip.
Split was one of our favorite cities. Warm, sunny, palm trees and history! Pero guided us around the city center and did a great job teaching us all about the Diocletian’s Palace.
Robi then became our real life, in person guide for a couple days, touring us around to Peljesac peninsula, Korcula, and Ston. His knowledge of Croatia is extensive and we enjoyed spending time with him. He also took us to a couple wineries in the Dingac valley that was an experience of a lifetime! So, so cool!! Ended our trip in Dubrovnik, a beautifully quaint town! Our hotel, Pucic Palace, was my favorite! City center as you can get and such a gorgeous antique room! Antea, our guide, filled our history cup up with a great tour and then we got to explore the small town the rest of the day!
The details of the trip did not go unnoticed and I could not have planned such a relaxing trip for myself and husband without Robi’s expertise!! I will highly recommend Robi and his services to my friends in the future. Until next time, Croatia!

Sarah was an invaluable resource when planning our trip to Croatia. She had great recommendations and was a pleasure to work with. She always responded to my many questions promptly and with her ideas. This was our third time using Kimkim for our family vacations and I will not hesitate to sue them in the future as well.

Highlights:
* Day 1 -Our Hotel and view from our room in Dubrovnik was amazing! The many options for meals (which were delicious) and the beautiful views from those areas were great! The beautiful pools, and the safe places to jump into the Adriatic and swim was really exciting!
* Day 2 - Our friendly local guide, Alberto, was SO knowledgeable about the history and people of Old Town through the centuries. He shared great tips for our own self-touring that afternoon. An extra highlight was that we were able to meet
Marija, in person that a.m. as she was there with another group and made a point of finding us to meet in person. That was a fun surprise.
* Day 3 - Marija planned our seamless arrival of our rental car and we were on our way to Split. Our local tour guide, Ivana, met us at our boutique hotel and it was a convenient walk to Diocietian's Palace. Ivana, who grew up in Split, was a great guide and pointed out the amazing features of the Palace, as well as sharing her experiences as a young girl growing up during the 5 year war.
* Day 4 - We had a beautiful drive to Krka National Park. The waterfalls there were spectacular and this day was a highlight of our trip! On to Zadar where we checked in to the Hotel Bastion, with views of the harbor nearby and easy
walk to experience the Roman and Venetian ruins on the Old Town peninsula. Lots of restaurants to choose from as well!
*Day 5 - Drove to the most famous National Park in Croatia, Plitvice Lakes where Marija had already provided tickets for
us to tour the area. Again, the waterfalls were stunning, and were so worth the walk, in spite of the cloudy day! Then on to
the capitol, Zagreb. We had another seamless transfer to our hotel after dropping off our rental car. Our driver was a great young man who shared his perspective about the 5 yr. war (at my urging). He had been a "celebration baby." His
father had survived the war, married his mother and he was born. He shared that every year they go back to the city in Eastern Croatia, where his father had fought alongside other Croatians to remember those who were lost, such a poignant story.
*Day 6 - Met up with our local guide, Josie, at our hotel and got a great tour of the center of Zagreb. Josie is a vibrant and energetic young woman who loves her city and was so excited to show the many highlights and learn from her about Zagreb's history..... from the City Square, to the famous Cathedral of Zagreb, St. Marks Church, the Dolac Market (amazing daily fresh produce, meat markets, bakeries, wine/olive oil specialties galore!), and riding the Funicular Railway from the upper town back down to the lower town. It was a FUN last day and we topped it off with having an authentic Croatian dinner where the locals go to have a great meal (one of Josie's favorites that she recommended to us). We were not disappointed!!! The BEST local food and great people!
*Day 7 - Marija arranged for our on-time driver to pick us up at 4:30 a.m. for a short, relaxing drive to the Zagreb Airport.
We had plenty of time to relax, buy a few more souvenirs and talk about what an AMAZING trip we'd had.
THANK YOU MARIJA!!!

Hotel Reviews

Royal Neptun Hotel

Dubrovnik

The Royal Neptun Hotel in Dubrovnik was absolutely amazing! Located at the north end of the city, it offered stunning views, especially at night with all the beautiful lights. It was a wonderful start to our vacation.

Hotel Luxe

Split

The Hotel Luxe in Split was in a great location for exploring the city, only about a ten-minute walk to major attractions. The hotel itself was lovely with a wonderful breakfast. The only downside was the parking situation, as it was very challenging to navigate the narrow one-way road to the hotel's parking area.

Bastion Heritage Hotel—Relais & Châteaux

Zadar

The Bastion Heritage Hotel in Zadar was absolutely beautiful. It was conveniently located just a five-minute walk from the stunning Roman ruins. The hotel offered a great breakfast, and despite some rain, the view of the inner bay with yachts was spectacular.

Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria

Zagreb

The Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria in Zagreb was nice and located conveniently near a major square.

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik Old Town

Dubrovnik

The Private Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik Old Town was fantastic. Our tour guide, Alberto, was incredibly knowledgeable and seemed to know many of the locals. His stories and insights into the area's history made the tour so interesting and memorable.

Private guided walking tour of Zagreb

Zagreb

The Private guided walking tour of Zagreb was fantastic, led by a passionate and knowledgeable local guide. I loved learning about the city and visiting so many great places. Being shown where the locals eat was a wonderful touch, and the dinner was delicious.

We had an absolutely amazing vacation in Croatia! Our travel agent, Antonia ( and her assistant, Sara )were so helpful and truly made our travel so enjoyable and carefree! We wanted to see the highlights of Croatia and Antonia and Sara developed an itinerary where we visited 6 places in Croatia plus a day trip to Montenegro!
The "Trips Plans" app that we downloaded to our phones before we left the states was very helpful. A great way to be able to review our itinerary on a daily basis! And such an added bonus that Antonia and Sara would message us every evening to make sure we were set for the following day!!

We had a wonderful group of guides! A couple in particular that we felt went above and beyond to make our experience special were:
Ivana - our guide at Plitvice Lakes Park - she truly gave us a wonderful tour and she had so much knowledge about the park.
Grgo - we loved our day on the island of Hvar! Our guide, Grgo drove us around the island allowing us to visit many of the small villages on the island and it was a highlight to visit his family owned winery, enjoying the wine along with a home cooked lunch!
Mirna - Our tour guide in Split! She was very knowledgeable on the history of Split and the Diocletian Palace.

Hotel Reviews

Amadria Park Hotel Capital

Zagreb

We were greeted warmly as we arrived to the hotel and this was nice as we were definitely tired from the long flights from the states. Wonderful breakfast the following morning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Only a short walk into town and the main square in Zagreb with restaurants and shops!

Staff

Ivana at the front desk greeted us with drinks and chocolates when we arrived - Nice touch!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bastion Heritage Hotel—Relais & Châteaux

Zadar

A wonderful small boutique hotel with a nice view from our hotel room. The front desk lady ( I don't remember her name though) was very helpful. She provided me with a package of throat lozenges and hot tea as I was feeling the affects of our long travel day to Croatia! She went above and beyond to make us feel welcome to Zadar!

Authenticity & Character

Small Boutique with personal service!

Location

Super close to walk to the Sea Organ for the Sunset and the restaurants and historic sights in Zadar!

Staff

The front desk lady - see above!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ambasador

Split

The Hotel Ambassador was truly our favorite hotel. The service was wonderful! And the view from our hotel room was amazing!! We had a wonderful balcony looking out at the Sea where we were able to enjoy a drink with the beautiful view!! Niksa ( a server at breakfast) helped to make our mornings wonderful as we enjoyed the delicious breakfast! The special breakfast items that could be ordered ( not on the buffet) were delicious!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect location to walking to the Palace, many restaurants and the nightlife in Split!!

Staff

See above on my notes about Niksa ( Breakfast server).

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our hotel room had wonderful amentities!! And the rooms were very spacious! Loved our view from our hotel room balcony!!And our king size bed looked out to the Sea!! Beautiful!!

Aminess Korčula Heritage Hotel

Korčula

We loved the small and quaint island of Korcula, but the Aminess Korcula Heritage Hotel is very tired and needs to be renovated! The rooms are extremely small and the bathroom shower is way too small! I would suggest guests are not booked at this hotel until the renovation can be completed!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel needs to be renovated!

Location

Location is great - perfect for walking around the quaint island!

Staff

The front desk staff were very welcoming and although the hotel is tired looking, the staff helped to make our experience at the hotel enjoyable!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel needs to be renovated- bathroom ( shower) is way too small!!

Hotel More

Dubrovnik

Beautiful hotel with wonderful views from our hotel room as well as the Cave Bar! We actually enjoyed not staying in the walled city - It was only a 10 minute Uber ride from our hotel to the walled city. We went to the walled city to walk the walls as well as for dinner one evening when we were in Dubrovnik. The hotel is confusing though to navigate the floors for the hotel rooms, breakfast, etc. It took us a couple days before we understood the layout of the hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful views

Location

Very convenient and easy to get an uber ride from the hotel to Dubrovnik's walled city.

Staff

The hotel staff could have done a better job of showing us the pool, hot tub and restaurant location. It took us some time to navigate the hotel property.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel rooms were very spacious and the views from our hotel room balcony was wonderful!

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour of Plitvice Lakes National Park

Croatia

We definitely recommend touring the Plitvice Lakes Park - absolutely beautiful!! We really enjoyed having a private guide - Ivana (our tour guide) was very knowledgeable and helped to make our experience so enjoyable. She was able to show us areas and give us information on the park that would have been difficult if we didn't have a guide!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful Park and a great way to begin our vacation in Croatia!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Allan did a great job of driving us from Zagreb to the Plitivice Park.

Gourmet Experience at Local Winery

Croatia

We loved this experience! The staff at the Ante Sladic Winery made our experience very special! We were able to meet the wine makers ( Ante and his grandfather, Yure). We even were able to take photos with both of them! Simon did a wonderful job of guiding us through the wines he was serving with the homemade lunch!

Quality of Experience

Food

The Homemade lunch served with the Ante Sladic wines was delicious!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above on the guide and wine makers from Ante Sladic Winery!

Transport

Duga was our driver from our hotel in Zadar to Krka National and then onto the Ante Sladic Winery and finally to our hotel in Split! He was a great conversationalist as we drove to the various stops for the day!

Private Walking Tour of Split

Croatia

We had a morning walking tour of Split with a private guide, Mirna, She was very knowledgeable as we walked through the Diocletian Palace ( lots of great information about the history of the Palace and the Roman Emperor Diocletian) and the downtown area of Split. She was also able to give us suggestions of other areas of Split we could tour later in the afternoon ( the Marjan Park with beautiful views of Split).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hvar Day Trip from Split

Croatia

Our day on the island of Hvar was one of our favorite days! Grgo, our tour guide met us when we got off the catamaran boat ( coming from Split). We had a wonderful day as he drove us around the island visiting many of the small villages and learning about the history of the island of Hvar. We ended our day enjoying a lunch at the Matkovic Winery ( Grgo's family winery) with a homemade lunch made by his mom and enjoying the wines. We did not spend anytime in the town of Hvar. As Grgo suggested, it was more enjoyable to see the more remote areas of the island!

Quality of Experience

Food

The homemade lunch was delicious!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We really enjoyed our Guide, Grgo!

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

We had a couple hour tour with a private guide (Ivana) in the walled city in Dubrovnik. It was important to have the tour to learn more about the history of the walled city. So when we returned to walk the walls, we had a better understanding of the history of the city and its amazing walls!!

Quality of Experience

After the couple hour tour of the walled city with Ivana, she walked us to the Cable Car. This was a wonderful experience - taking the cable car to see the beautiful views and enjoy a delicious dinner at the Panorama restaurant. We highly recommend making a reservation at the Panorama restaurant. The food was wonderful and the views spectacular!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Ivana was very knowledgeable and helpful!!

Transport

Our driver, Peter picked us up at our hotel and drove us to the walled city to meet our guide, Ivana.

Private Lumbarda Wine Tour & Konoba Dinner

Korčula

We really enjoyed our morning time by ourselves on the quaint island of Korcula! In the afternoon, we met our guide, Damir at our hotel and he drove us to the Lumbarda area for a personal winery tasting at a local winery. Since we travelled in late Oct to Croatia, many of the wineries were closed for the season. We enjoyed the small winery tasting and tour but it was our understanding that we would be touring a couple wineries with a pasta dinner at one of them ( that was what was stated on our Trip App). After we visited the one winery, Damir drove us back to Korcula and we had dinner with him. We would have preferred enjoying dinner by ourselves since the 2nd winery was not an option.

Quality of Experience

Food

See above regarding the food and wineries availability

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Damir was a good guide showing us the area of Lumbarda

Transport

Sea Kayak Tour on Korčula

Korčula

Super fun to be able to go Kayaking in the Sea! We enjoyed our guide, Mislav. He was full of great information and very funny!! During our kayak trip, we stopped at an old island of Vrnik ( with an old limestone quarry). Super cool to see that and learn more about the history of the area!

Quality of Experience

See above!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above about our guide, Mislav

Transport

A taxi driver picked us up at our hotel and delivered us back to our hotel after the kayaking

Private Day Trip to Montenegro - Perast & Kotor

Dubrovnik

Montenegro was spectacular!! We were so happy that we scheduled a day tour to see the country!! Our guide, Mirjana was wonderful. She was so very knowledgeable -we toured both Perast and Kotor! The small boat trip from Perast to see the "Our Lady of the Rocks" old church was wonderful! After touring Kotor, we had a choice to have lunch in the town of Kotor or take the cable car to the Forza restaurant at the top. We were so happy that we chose taking the cable car and we loved the beautiful views and the lunch from the top!!

Quality of Experience

See above!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Mirjana was wonderful!

Transport

Our driver, Peter did a wonderful job of driving us across the border ( we only had a 45 minute wait getting through the border crossing between Croatia and Montenegro.

Konavle Region Culinary Experience (small group)

Croatia

The cooking class and experience in Konavle at the Kameni Dvori family estate was a wonderful way to spend our last evening in Croatia!! The guides and family members (Nike and Katarina) made the experience of helping to cook our dinner so much fun ( we made homemade bread and pasta)! And we had lots of laughs with the 2 other guests that we met! We even walked through the family farm to pick vegetables and fruits for our dinner!

Quality of Experience

See Above

Food

The food was delicious and it was fun taking part in the preparation and cooking of our meal!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Kameni Dvori family members are full of so much love for the area and the farm that they live on!!

Transport

Bruno did an excellent job of curating the exact trip we asked for. Every person we were set to meet with (guides, car drop off, drivers) were on time, knowledgeable, and helpful. Small extra touches like parking links in larger cities were greatly appreciated.
Bruno was in communication daily, and was available to answer questions that we had. He responded always quickly and thoughtfully.
The overall trip was perfect!

Hotel Reviews

Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria

Zagreb

Hotel is located close to the bus terminal, but a short walk to the city center (15-20 minutes). Friendly staff, very accommodating, great breakfast buffet. Rooms are slightly smaller than other hotels. We had to leave at 4:15 in the morning, and they had packed a breakfast to go for us. Enjoyed our stay there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Union

Ljubljana

Amazing location, right off the city center square. Friendly staff, wonderful room. There are multiple hotels with a name close to this, and it is connected to another hotel, so we had some confusion as to exactly which hotel we were supposed to be at. Parking is under the hotels, and very, very tight. Lovely breakfast. Dinner was available, but we did not eat here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martis Forum Heritage Hotel & Residence

Poreč

Super cute boutique hotel a block from the sea. Parking is off site, but they will come and pick you up with a golf cart. Located on the peninsula, it is very close to many restaurants and coffee spots. Nice breakfast in the morning. We also had a lovely dinner there in the evening. Stayed there as a jumping off spots to many areas in the region. We were there in October, so the experience might be different in the summer, but it was a quiet, lovely place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

We did not stay in the main hotel, but the house next to it. Room was fine. Nice breakfast in the morning, with a restaurant attached. They have a pool, but the weather was cool and it was closed. It looked very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bastion Heritage Hotel—Relais & Châteaux

Zadar

Beautiful Hotel, right in the heart of the old town of Zadar. Walking distance to all the sights in the area and lots of restaurants. Wonderful breakfast, Michelin restaurant at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Kind and welcoming. Always greeted us so warmly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skradinski buk

Skradin

Cute hotel located in Skradin. Easy walking to everything in Skradin including the marina. No air conditioning, but large windows that opened and a balcony to sit on. End of season, so staff was a bit skeleton, but still kin and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Balatura Split Luxury Rooms

Split

Located about a ten minute walk into the main area of Split. It was nice to be slightly away from the busy city center. Large deck to sit on, large room with sofa and large bathroom. Parking is difficult if you have a car. tight area to get to (like all the big cities). Suit cases needed to be carried up a flight of stairs from the parking area. Lovely breakfast, with a few items sitting out, but a made to order (the day before) breakfast. I appreciated the desire to not waste food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel More

Dubrovnik

Beautiful view of the Adriatic sea. Large deck to sit on and watch the sunset. Multiple restaurants on site, with an interesting Cave bar. Access to swim in the sea and two pools. Walking distance to other restaurants. 10 minute walk to the bus stop, and about a 15-20 minute bus ride into Dubrovnik.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zagreb - Arrival

Zagreb

Picked up from the airport, and had someone waiting for us. He was friendly and full of information about the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bled and Bohinj

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Scenic Castles of the Zagorje Region

Zagreb

Easy drive through the countryside, which in itself was beautiful and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Walking City Tour of Ljubljana

Ljubljana

Our guide was informative and fun to talk to. He answered questions we had, and it was clear he loves his city! It was a great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle Tour

Croatia

Caves are beyond description. They have developed a great method to move a lot of people through the caves efficiently while still giving you an amazing experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Informative guide on the tour. We were with a large group who did not speak the language the guide was speaking in, so we needed to get close to hear him as they often spoke over him.

Cycling Inland of Istria,

Croatia

Driver picked us up and made sure the bikes fit us both properly. Mine was slightly too large and we popped back over to the shop for the right size. Ebikes were new and fun to ride! Great instruction on where to go and how to follow the trail. He mentioned which towns it would be worth riding into and seeing , and which to skip. Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were able to leave items in the transport van that we wanted for later in the day, and coats we thought we would need but didn't.

Rovinj and Pula

Croatia

Rovinj is a beautiful, romantic city. Toured a church, walked the narrow alleys and explored the city. Lots of cafes to have a coffee and people watch. There are boat tours to take and many restaurants. Swimming available in warmer weather. Had a cocktail beside the sea at Mediterraneo. Pula has an wonderous Roman amphitheater that is amazing to see, along with other numerous roman structures and sites to see, all within a short walk. Had a delicious three course meal at Backyard.

Quality of Experience

Inland of Istria - towns on hills and truffle country

Croatia

Truffle hunting was a fun experience. It was very muddy and they provided boots to slog through the mud. We walked around an area for about an hour. The dog found one truffle and quickly tried to eat it! We still got to see and smell it. The wet weather and time of year made for the less likelihood of finding truffles. Truffle tasting after was a unique experience as they served truffles many different ways. We did sort of get truffled out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Leaving Istria, visit Hum and arrival to Plitvice lakes

Croatia

just commenting briefly on Porec, its a lovely seaside community, I loved being there in the shoulder season when the tourist numbers are low, but be aware that because of this, a number of restaurants were closed or closing for the season. We still thought there were plenty to choose from and enjoyed the less hectic time to visit. Same with day trips on boats, many were having their last trips or were done.

Explore Plitvice Lakes National Park

Croatia

What can you say about Croatia's oldest and largest national parks? The pictures do not do it justice, it truly is a sight to behold. We spent about 4-5 hours, walking and hiking the various trails, and there was beauty throughout the park.

Quality of Experience

Krka National Park - Split

Croatia

Took the boat over to Krka National Park. The boat ride itself was enjoyable and about 1/2 an hour. You can stay as long as you want, and the boats return every hour? I can't remember for sure. Hiked up the various tiers of the falls to see the water from different levels. We were on the first boat out, so the park was not crowded when we got there. There is food and drink available.

Quality of Experience

Cooking class in Split

Split

We met the instructors just outside the green market. As we walked through the market, they purchased some items that would be part of the meal and described the process of how vendors come to market etc. Also went to the fish market and spoke to us about the fisherman and they purchased fresh fish. We walked to the culinary school and the instructor also talked about Split while we walked. Four of us helped cook an entire meal, from cleaning the fish (yikes) to the desert. We made risotto, bread, sides, appetizers. It was a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Split Walking Tour with a visit to Diocletian Palace

Split

Interesting walking tour of Split, learned a lot about the area. Not quite as detailed as other guides, but still always interesting to learn!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to Hvar and exploring the Old town - one day trip from Split

Split

The fortress is interesting and had amazing views! Brought swimsuits, but did not go in the water. Walked along the sea trail. We did not take the side tour as suggested, but wish we had, as we had a bit too much time on our hands before our catamaran back to Split. The water is beautiful and again, sitting in the square having a coffee was very fun.

Quality of Experience

Pelješac penisula and Ston- triple atraction.

Split

The highlight of this was probably Klis and seeing the castle/fortress. GOT fans will recognize many aspects of this. But the walk and listening tour of this site was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Private Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik Old Town

Dubrovnik

Great guide, she was incredibly informative and fun to listen to. Learning the history and seeing the Mayor just added to the beauty of this city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Croatia

Very interesting drive in the Bosnia area (with two very cool stops along the way). Mostar itself is smaller with a feeling like Turkey with numerous mosques to view and visit. The old bridge is the highlight of the visit. We had lunch over looking the bridge. It's very interesting to see the difference of how Croatia has recovered post war and how Bosnia has had a much slower recovery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was wonderful and had lots of history and information to share as we drove.

Transport

Goobye Dubrovnik- flight to Zagreb and Zagreb free day.

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver that picked us up, made a quick stop to see some areas affected by the war, and filled us in on history of that time.

Transport

Private guided walking tour of Zagreb

Zagreb

Bruno did an amazing job of walking us through the city of Zagreb. He's a wealth of information and shared it in interesting and entertaining ways. Always catering to our interests and questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zagreb - Departure

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very early transport to the airport. The driver was on time, kind and awake!

Summary with details following: I would not recommend Bruno. He can be cranky and short tempered. This was a second trip with Kimkim and they were a disappointment also. I was planning another trip with Kimkim, that I have cancelled. Thankfully, I had not paid the deposit.
Bruno was good during the planning phases with customizing our trip. The trip was a 5* trip for a group of 6 seniors (3 couples). One of the main reasons for using Kimkim was that they had someone local that we could chat with whenever we needed to. Once when I was asking Bruno questions he came back with a response "You are not my only client". I was not expecting an instant response. I don't know why he got annoyed.
He scheduled us, based on our request, to go to Vrsic pass. The roads had been closed for a while and we just happened to find out when we mentioned it to the person at the hotel desk. As my agent there, he should have known this. We could have spent a couple of hours driving there and found out, but we lucked out.
We had rented a van that turned out to be a diesel van. Not understanding the nomenclature, we ended up pumping regular gas in the van. In the US, the nozzle typically will not fit, but apparantly not in Europe. Lesson learned. It was a Sunday evening and the van started sputtering and we got an "engine failure likely" warning. Luckily, we got off the highway and managed to get to a gas station in the boonies. Bruno was very irritated and kept telling me it was my fault and wanted to make sure to tell me that I had to pay for it. I never had an expectation that he would cover it. He later told me that because of this he lost family time and wanted me to feel sorry for him. Remember, it was 6 senior citizens stranded in some unknown village not knowing the language and dealing with an irritated specialist, Bruno. We lost a day of site seeing and Bruno had to do some re-arranging of our itinerary due to this. Yes, it was not his fault for sure, but shit happens. If family time is more important, get a 9 to 5 job.
One of the hotels (Pallazo) was a disaster. We stayed there for 2 nights and we had AC and internet issues the whole time. I had to move rooms twice (3 different rooms in 2 nights) and another couple had to move once and the third couple had to put up with boiling temperatures for one night. Remember, we had requested the best hotels and this was a disaster. The total cost of the 11 day trip was over $28K and I insisted on some compensation and the best they could do was a total refund of $340 plus $100 Kimkim credit for each couple. We were paying about $2500 per day ($5000 for 2 days) and the best they could do was $340. The credit is useless, since I don't plan on using Kimkim anymore. When I told Bruno that I would follow up with Kimkim, he told me to not bother and that they could not do anything. He was right. So having Kimkim as the parent organization buys you nothing, You just pay more since they take their commission off the top and provide no value when it comes to issues like this.
Kimkim's planning online interface is nice until you need to remove people that may have dropped out. The emails continued going to the people that dropped out and the message authors were mixed up with some message. Basically it seems to have some annoying issues. The group organizer cannot add and remove people. Simple email questions in the chat window ends up going to everyone creating a lot more communications than necessary. I could not send a chat message to Bruno privately.

How to describe our time spent with Robi and Daniella? Think of the luxury of a highly customized trip planned to your tastes, with the homey and personal feeling of being guided by a good friend.

Robi planned an unforgettable experience for us - from personally taking us out on his boat, to the tour of his friend's oyster farm, to cycling in some of the most beautiful places we've ever experienced. It felt like he really took our personal preferences into account, and like we were seeing a side of the Pelješac Peninsula that could only be discovered by seeing it with someone who has deep personal knowledge of the area. He answered all of our questions and taught us a lot about the history of the area and Croatia in general. We will never forget our time spent in this beautiful place and cannot wait to come back and see more!

We got exactly what we were looking for out of this experience - which was to be connected with activities and places we would not have been able to find on our own. We highly recommend booking with Robi and Daniella - you will not be disappointed!

Hotel Review

Villa Radić

Ston

Everything we needed. Great shower, comfortable bed, quiet space.

Authenticity & Character

Location

central to everything in ston

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dubrovnik and Elaphiti islands - Lopud and Koločep private boat trip

Croatia

Wonderful! Like spending the day out on the boat with a friend. Robi let us choose where to go and what to do - a wonderful day on the water!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto

Transport

Pelješac peninsula and Ston- triple atraction.

Croatia

My favorite day of our trip. A morning hike over the walls of Ston, followed by a tour of an oyster farm and eating oysters fresh out of the water, and the crowning jewel of a ~20 mile bike ride through the most beautiful wine country imaginable. There was a part of the bike ride where we rode through a tunnel and came out onto the shore - the transition from the dark tunnel to the sun dazzling off the Adriatic was something I will never forget. It was so beautiful that I cried.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cycling Mljet island and National Park

Croatia

Another beautiful day of cycling. This was a lot flatter than the "triple threat" cycling so I think would be appropriate even for folks who aren't that active. The little island/monastery in the center of the park was a special treat!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a 19 day trip through Croatia; lots of moving parts, everything went well.
People showed up when they were supposed to and it was very smooth. Borna
was our guide/driver for a week and we loved him It was actually hard to say goodbye
in Split. Excellent English. Goran (sp?) took us from Korcula to Dubrovnik and was
also great. Excellent English and lots of local and historical knowledge. The only
thing missing was more time but that's on us - we set the schedule. And it was good to
meet Robi in Dubrovnik, our interactions w him were smooth; he followed through.
And gave us a nice bottle of olive oil.So we would recommend him to anyone and be happy
to use him again. Many thanks Jim & Kathy

We were a group of 6 adults on a private tour. Ivan and Sarah were very responsive to our needs and were able to accommodate changes to our itinerary at the last moments (due to weather forecasts). Their local tour guides, drivers and boat captains were topnotch. We had a great time and created long lasting memories.

Our trip to Croatia was AMAZING!!! Sarah planned a perfect trip for my husband and I, I gave her some information on what we wanted to do in Croatia, and she pulled it all together beautifully. From the gentleman that met us at the airport to the gentleman that dropped us off to return back to the states, it was seamless. The guides we had for touring were incredible, so knowledgeable and very helpful. ( Sorry, I will not attempt to type their names, because I know the spelling would be way off) The hotels that Sarah made reservations for us were beautiful, and the staff at all of the hotels were amazing. Nick at Hotel Giordanno was very gracious and kind during our stay, the ladies at Irini Luxury Rooms were very helpful during our stay in Split. We had a tremendous time on this "bucket list" trip. We wanted to go to Croatia as my paternal grandparents immigrated from this country, it was very moving to go to Samobor and find where my Dad's roots began. Croatia is a beautiful country and all of the people that we met along the way were very welcoming. We are hoping to return one day with our children. Sarah, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this trip a dream come true.
Susan Leonard

Hotel Review

Villa Giardino

Bol

This hotel is beautiful!!! If we are lucky enough to return, we will stay here again. Nick and his entire staff were absolutely wonderful and so helpful. Location was perfect, the breakfast was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a short walk to the town center and to the beautiful beaches.

Staff

Very helpful and so kind!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was spotless, beds were comfortable and it was very quiet.

Activity Review

Visit a family farm for an authentic Croatian meal + visit small town of Cavtat

Croatia

This was such a lovely experience, to be welcomed into some ones home and enjoy a delicious traditional Croatia meal. Our guide that picked us up at the hotel and drove us there, gave us a tour of Cavtat, which was so beautiful. Then she drove us to the farm. It was incredible!!!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver/ guide was so very friendly and we had so much fun with her on this part of our trip.

Transport

I was a bit reluctant to book on Kim Kim because I usually plan all of our travel myself. It ended up being a great decision because I didn’t have the time and would not have been able to organize such a seamless vacation. Sarah was easy to communicate with and responded quickly by email before and by WhatsApp during our trip. I would highly recommend!

Hotel Review

Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Great views and breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Not in old town, but amazing sea views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Croatian Cooking Class

Split

Fun visit to fish market and farmers market before heading to the school to cook. Others had canceled, so it was just my husband and me. Loved it and the food was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Split

The lakes and falls were beautiful! Not sure if it was worth the long drive from Split.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mario was nice and helpful

Hiking and winetasting on Korcula Island

Korčula

We canceled this tour because we wanted to relax more

Romantic sunset picnic in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

This was a great idea in theory. We were picked up at our hotel and brought to the top of the mountain.

Quality of Experience

View was beautiful. Set up was special. It was cold and windy and there was only one blanket.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We felt quite rushed at the beginning. Talked too much

Transport

It’s a one lane road up the hill with two way traffic

Guided Walking Tour of Split

Split

Ina was very informative and nice. We never felt rushed. She answered all of our questions.

Private Motor Boat Excursion to Brač & the Pakleni Islands (end in Hvar)

Split

Our boat tour was canceled due to weather

Privately guided walking tour of Korcula Town

Korčula

Guide spoke very quickly. Tour ended abruptly because it was about to rain.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Mostar

Croatia

Interesting to see!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Friendly and helpful driver.

Hvar - Island Bike Tour with Local Food and Drink Tastings

Croatia

Beautiful bike ride!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Dubrovnik's Old Town

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bruno was great to work with. He's very responsive, giving us good suggestion and was always ready to answer any questions. Our guides were fun and knowledgeable and kind. We had such a great honeymoon without the headache and stress.

Our trip to Croatia was awesome!!
The experience was so good because of the work of Daniela and Robi.
They constructed a fabulous itinerary that touched on the highlights of Croatia from the capital city, the fantastic Plitvice Lakes National Park, Split, two marvelous Islands and then Dubrovnik. Daniela and Robi selected wonderful hotels and great guides and stops along the way. We appreciated the daily updates and personal assistance.

Thanks so much for helping us make beautiful memories of amazing Croatia.

Mike & Jan & Chris & Jerry

Our recent honeymoon in Croatia, customized by Sarah and Ivan from the kimkim travel group, was an absolute dream come true! Sarah and Ivan were easily reachable and communicated with us throughout the entire trip, ensuring seamless transitions between accommodations and making sure our trip was smooth and easy. From the moment we landed in Dubrovnik to our final day in Split, every detail was meticulously planned, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the beauty and culture of this stunning country.

Our journey began in the enchanting city of Dubrovnik. The Hotel Bellevue lived up to its 5-star rating, offering breathtaking sea views and impeccable service. Immediately upon check-in, we went downstairs to the beautiful local beach conveniently located downstairs and accessible by a hotel elevator that takes you directly to the entrance of the beach. The hotel was also walking distance to the old town where we could tour the city walls at night and immerse ourselves in Dubrovnik’s rich history as we walked the 2km stretch. The sunset kayaking excursion around the old town was a magical experience we'll never forget.

The day trip to Cavtat was a delightful surprise. The local farm that we visited in this charming coastal town was truly an unforgettable experience. The authentic Croatian meal we prepared alongside the farm’s owner Jadra was a feast for the senses - the flavors were incredible, and the hospitality was heartwarming.

In Hvar, the Amfora Grand Beach Resort provided the perfect blend of luxury and relaxation. The private island discovery tour was a highlight, with our knowledgeable guide J.J. sharing fascinating insights about Hvar’s history and culture. The boating excursion to the Pakleni Islands and Brač was simply spectacular - crystal clear waters, secluded bays, and the freedom to explore at our own pace.

Split captivated us with its ancient charm. The cooking class was an absolute delight - shopping at the local market and then creating traditional dishes under the guidance of our chef was both fun and educational. Our guide for exploring Diocletian’s Palace was exceptional, bringing the ancient stones to life with engaging stories and historical context.

Throughout our trip, the guides provided by kimkim were outstanding. Their passion for their regions shone through in every interaction, and they went above and beyond to ensure we had unforgettable experiences.

Sarah did an amazing job planning our 2 week trip in Croatia. We customized a KimKim itinerary and it was perfect for us. We visited Zagreb, Rovinj, Plitvicka National Park, Split, Havar and Dubrovnik with a stop in Pula to see the amphitheater. Highlights were: 2 wine tastings in Plesivica at small family owned wineries, truffle hunting (with dogs) at the Karlić family complex with great food afterwards, a walking tour of Ravinj with Dina, the Pula tour with Mariam, a food tour in Split with Kristina, Hvar island tour with Grgo (he and his family were terrific), a private boat tour around the islands between Spilt and Hvar, a walking tour in Dubrovnik, a little stop in Cavtat with Dora (she was very fun) then a private peka ("under the bell") lunch in the countryside. We had very nice drivers all throughout who picked us up on time and it was great to hear their stories of growing up and living in Croatia (thanks, Damir). Sarah and Ivan were available continually on WhatsApp and were quick to answer questions.
We ate well, saw so much of the country, met great people, and were impressed with everyone's pride in their country. I'd highly recommend using Sarah for your trip to Croatia, and anywhere else she plans!

Activity Reviews

Zagreb Private Guided Walking Tour

Zagreb

Ned was a local and knew the city well. It was raining which made the tour a little less fun, but that wasn't his fault!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zagreb wine tasting in the countryside with lunch

Zagreb

We went to the Jagunič and Braye wineries. They were different and wonderful. Both were family owned and we were hosted by the owners. At Jagunič we had a fabulous charcuterie board and at Braye we had another charcuterie board (oh my), duck confit with pasta, and a cherry dessert to die for. So good. The wine pours were generous.

Quality of Experience

Hearing from local owners, tasting wines we can't get in the US, the food!

Food

Fresh, local, unique

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle hunting experience in Istria

Croatia

Patrick was our truffle hunter and he did a great job explaining the process, how the dogs are raised, the family story, all of it. Ivana (second generation owner) cooked for us. She was quite entertaining and the food was great.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful facility, wonderful food, small group.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zoran was a great driver. The staff at Karlic were amazing.

Transport

Privately Guided Tour of Rovinj

Rovinj

Dina was lovely, knowledgeable and friendly. We learned a lot about Rovinj and history of the Istria.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked!

Split Walking Food Tour

Split

Kristina was a great guide. Another local, she knew the city well, too us around to shops and vendors, and shared a delicious meal.

Quality of Experience

Kristina made if fun, she was warm and personable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked

Private Motor Boat Excursion to Brač & the Pakleni Islands (end in Hvar)

Split

We had a lovely day on the boat. We met our skipper Nikola at the port, and traveled to the Pakleni Islands and Hvar. We brought cheese, bread and wine as weren't expecting to stop for lunch. That was great, but didn't leave much to do. The water was too cool for swimming, so we dropped anchor in a cute little port (with lots of sailboats) and had lunch on the boat. We ended early.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hvar Island Tour With lunch

Hvar

Grgo picked us up and took us all around the island. We went to his home for wine tasting and a charcuterie board. We met his family, which made us feel like old friends. We visited Jelsa, a little port town, then to an amazing outdoor restaurant called Dionis in the UNESCO farm fields and had a great dinner, meeting the owners. The food was wood oven prepared. Last we drove back to Hvar.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Grgo and the team in Hvar.

Transport

Comfortable van.

Tour Dubrovnik's Old Town

Croatia

Djana took us around the Old Town for 2 hours. She knew the city well and had grown up there too. She helped us plan for the evening and the next day when we had some free time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Visit a family farm for an authentic Croatian meal + visit small town of Cavtat

Croatia

Dora drove us and she was fun to spend 4 hours with. Another local, she knew the area well. Cavtat was very cute, and we grabbed a coffee by the port. The Croatian meal was delicious, fresh and filling. The host didn't speak English very well, but Dora did. We got a tour of the kitchen and farmhouse which was nice.

Quality of Experience

Dora was great, the luncheon was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Dora was great, the luncheon was delicious.

Food

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Comfortable, personal.

Transport

Comfortable, personal.

All the guides in Croatia were great, to include Dubrovnik, Hvar, Split, Montenegro, Mostar, and Rovinj.
There was one lady guide for city tour in (Kotor), who was very distracted and on her phone quite a bit
Overall, our 6 people group had a great time.
I do suggest preparing folks regarding lot and lot of walking on cobblestone pathways, that are very tiring. We were walking at least 15-20,000 steps a day, every single day we were in Croatia, and this included climbing high stone steps and uphill walks.
I highly recommend this tour as it is gorgeous, but with days of rest in between

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Neptun Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Good comfortable rooms and great staff

Authenticity & Character

Clean rooms. Good breakfast

Location

Close to downtown that helps reach various sites easier

Staff

Respectful and caring

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable with clean sheets. Bathroom could be better as water spills out a lot

Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort

Hvar

Good Hotel, but very tiny rooms for a 4****.

Authenticity & Character

Good location and outside appeal

Location

Close to downtown with walking distance to eating places

Staff

Very nice and dedicated team

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was good except too small rooms

Cornaro Hotel

Split

Beautiful Hotel. Great in and out

Authenticity & Character

Great appeal

Location

Close to downtown and very approachable to various sites

Staff

Very helpful and caring staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable bed with clean sheets and good breakfast

Hotel Angelo d'Oro

Rovinj

Not a great curb appeal with no elevator

Authenticity & Character

It is an old style nice place with good decor but with no elevators

Location

Cobblestone path to downtown is hard to walk on and carry luggage

Staff

Staff was reasonable, but did not accommodate my request for a larger room, when our rooms were booked way ahead in advance

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were clean and tidy, but bathroom was also very small

Grand Hotel Union

Ljubljana

Great Hotel in downtown. Lovely hotel with easy access to all sites and food

Authenticity & Character

Old hotel, but very well maintained

Location

Downtown

Staff

Everyone were amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good comfortable beds but not the best breakfast

Activity Reviews

Tour Dubrovnik's Old Town

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Beautiful sarroundings

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Easy to deal with and caring

Transport

Good Mercedes Van

Day Trip to Montenegro

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Beautiful little island, worth visiting if visiting Croatia

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was one of the best and very accommodating

Transport

Comfortable Mercedes Van

Day Trip to the Caves & Beaches of Vis Island by boat

Croatia

Green cave was awesome, but due to high tide could not visit blue caves

Quality of Experience

Lovely experience as the boat guide was awesome

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of them were great

Transport

Very comfortable Mercedes 6 seater

I feel so incredibly lucky to have found Ivan and his wife!! They helped me plan the best trip ever on super short notice very quickly!
I absolutely would not have been able to organize a trip this well without their help. They know all of the locals guides for booking tours and making arrangements that we would never have been aware of otherwise. These tour guides were fantastic and all locals. I was also able to change the times of some of the tours last minute due to flight changes which was very helpful.
I could not recommend them more highly and want to go back!

Overall this was very good Some hotels could have been better Rooms were small and sometimes bathrooms were very small Guides were great except for the one we had in Monte Negro who was too busy on the phone to pay much attention to us Drivers were all very good.

Bruno and team served us very well and made our vacation in Croatia memorable. Kudos to our local guides, especially Dora and Mia, who were gracious and patient! Highly recommend this local travel service…brilliant concept!

Our 10 day adventure began in Zagreb. Mario was our guide and he was fabulous! The sights we visited along our travels included 3 National Parks I think we took over 500 pics as every turn created a beautiful landscape. Plitvice Lakes waterfalls were breath taking and Krka National park rivers and rapids were spectacular. From there, we discovered Split and Hvar and got ready for 3 days island hopping on E-bikes.. We met up with Goran as our guide and were treated to manageable 15-20 mile bike hikes. I am 74 and my wife is 67.. what a great experience to visit Korkula island, Pelješac peninsula and finally Mjet island and national
park. Cycling was a great way to see so much of Croatia! We ended our trip to the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. We had visited this city one month earlier on a cruise ship trip. So, we were treated to mountain top views and fortresses that we would never have seen without our wonderful guide Goran. We can’t say enough about the coordination, the accommodations were 5 star+ and the friendships we made in just 10 days. We wanted to adopt them both snd take them home 🤗 KimKim and Robert (Robi) could not have done a more professional and satisfying job for us. You have to put Croatia on your bucket list!!!