Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

Our trip was excellent from beginning to the end! In particular the historic tours and boat trips. Highly recommended!

Hotel Review

Hotel Foscari Palace

Venice

Great food, comfortable room, excellent location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private St. Mark's Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour with Exclusive Access to Secret Rooms

Venice

Our guide was excellent, informative, and easy to understand. This could not have been better!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Planning was very smooth - Rita was very helpful and insightful. Support during trip was timely and professional. Kim Kim support was aware of our train cancellation before we were and proactively rebooked and notified us. We’ve had just as good of service from Kim Kim on previous trip. Would highly recommend and will definitely use again!

Every detail was accounted for and Melanie acted as a guardian angel during the trip, keeping an eye on all events. It was very comforting, and seamless. We will be doing this again.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Melanie for her exceptional planning of our trip, particularly regarding transportation. Thanks to her efforts, we enjoyed a smooth and memorable experience. The itinerary was well-structured and easy to follow, which greatly enhanced our journey. Additionally, having emergency contacts readily available provided us with peace of mind. I was particularly impressed by Melanie’s prompt responses whenever we sought her advice during the trip. Her support truly made a difference.

Italy was exactly as you see it in post cards.

There was too much walking for us, however. Two of our hotels (4 nights each) were down in the marina so we were forced to walk up and down many, many stairs and hills to the restaurants, towns , etc. Comfortable shoes are a MUST.

Anacapri, Positano and Sorrento (main squares) were our best stops.

Capri and Amalfi were very busy and difficult to get around (taxis and buses were packed and hard to get).

The weather in September is unstable (rain, wind, high 60s/low 70s) so it's challenging to know what to wear each day.

Overall, it was worth it and we recommend it at least once. KimKim was a great service.

It was such a stress reliever knowing that everything on our trip was already taken care of while we were there - we didn't have to deal with organizing cars, researching companies to use, or following up with providers because it was all taken care of. Eirini was so helpful in the planning process, had great recommendations, and was honest about what to expect with different options. She was very patient with me as I changed my mind many times to get the trip exactly how we wanted it. It would've been nice to continue to communicate with Eirini while we were on our trip for continuity, but we were handed off to lovely travel support individuals who took care of us while we were on our trip. We would absolutely use Kimkim again for the peace it provided us in not having to worry about a thing while we were on our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Gianlica

Praiano

10/10 I would go back here again and again. The property is GORGEOUS, not only the views, but the terraced gardens and the combination of old and new construction is just beautiful. The staff was lovely and very helpful, especially Marica, and Tomaso. The made to order breakfast as well as the buffet was delicious and food was prepared using the food that is grown on the property. My birthday happened to fall while we were staying on this trip and the staff surprised me by bringing out a small cake and candle and singing happy birthday to me in Italian at breakfast - it was so kind and unexpected. There is a bus stop right outside of the villa as well as two markets and a couple restaurants all on the same small road. Don't miss out on staying here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was so friendly, helpful, and kind. Marica and Tomaso helped us with recommendations and making reservations and went above and beyond.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, great housekeeping - Oxana was wonderful.

Atelier Inès Arts & Suites

Napoli

We did not have a great experience at this hotel. From the time we arrived it was unorganized and confusing. When we first arrived, the car was unable to drive down the small road to the hotel and so we were dropped off and someone came to get us, but couldn't find our reservation once we arrived. After eventually finding it, the staff seemed unorganized in what to do next. We were given a key ring with about 6 different keys on it to get in and out of the building and the gates around the building. Our room, although a nice size, was dark with only one window that looked out into an alley - it felt like we were in the basement. We weren't staying long so we wanted to potentially order food to be delivered, but there wasn't an identifiable front desk or reception area where we could ask for help. Luckily we ran into Ines, one of the owners who was lovely and welcoming, but was busy and unable to help us at that time. We ended up venturing out to find food and staff came to apologize later and offered us complimentary drinks. They also provided us with yogurt and fruit for the morning since we were leaving very early for the airport, which was kind. The bed was very comfortable and the bathroom had a nice sized shower.

Authenticity & Character

I believe this hotel probably had more to offer than we were able to explore in the short time we were there.

Location

Hard to get to. Two sets of gates to get in and out. Room looked out into an alley.

Staff

Increased communication/organization among staff would help customers to feel more at ease when arriving. Knowing where and how to get access to staff when needed would have been helpful as there was no reception area.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean, bed was comfortable.

Abelonas Retreat

Santorini

This hotel is in a great location - many restaurants literally steps away. It was quiet and had views of both the sunrise and sunset which are hard to get on the island. Yannis was helpful at reception. There is breakfast made to order and delivered to your room every morning. There are beautiful views although somewhat (minimally) obstructed by the location (restaurants, electric wires). The reason for 4 rather than 5 stars is that the room could use some updating, the bathroom sometimes would smell, and the shower was TINY. Overall, a very laid back vibe, excellent location, and good views.

Authenticity & Character

Very cute room, but could use some updating.

Location

Great spot, close to a lot of restaurants and walking paths.

Staff

Yannis was very friendly and helpful, but some of the other staff were not as hospitable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was surprisingly comfortable as well as the chairs and tables set out to relax. There's a great outdoor lounge area above the hotel and pool where you can enjoy the views.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Capri Boat Tour from Praiano

Amalfi Coast

The boat was beautiful and relaxed. It was nice that we were able to stop and swim on the way back and were greeted with champagne once we got out of the sea. However, we were warned before we got on the boat that the seas were rough due to a storm the day before. I've never been sea sick in my life, but was sick for an hour on the way to Capri (one of many people who were sick that day). The skipper/captain didn't speak a lot of English and wasn't very helpful and didn't go through any safety briefings before we took off. Because of the difficulties with the language barrier, I was momentarily left at the dock on Capri along with two other passengers as the boat sailed away. My husband and other passengers on the boat were able to explain to the captain that we needed to be picked up.

Santorini Hikes & Bites Private Tour

Santorini

Unfortunately, we woke up sick the day of this tour and had to cancel least minute. Unfortunately, we were unable to receive a refund because of the last minute cancellation, but the travel support did try and find us substitute options. Unable to review this tour as we had to miss it.

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

We really enjoyed being able to get the highlights of the area without having to rent a car or scooter to get there. We spent an hour in Positano walking around, going to the beach, and getting a coffee. The driver, Vito, made the day totally flexible so we could decide what to do that best fit our needs and wants for the day. Vito would drop us off, make suggestions as to where we could explore, and wait for us so that we could explore independently. We decided to drive from Positano through Amalfi, and go straight to Ravello before it got too crowded which was a good call. We had a lot of time in Ravello and were very pleased with our time there exploring on our own. On the way back we decided to skip Amalfi as it had gotten SO busy that it didn't look enjoyable. It would've been nice to see some more scenic sites on the way back since we didn't stop, but we just went back to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver, Vito, was very helpful with suggestions and offered to take photos of us in front of beautiful scenic lookouts, but he was VERY talkative and we are more quiet so that felt a little tiresome after a full day together.

Transport

Private Transfer from Amalfi Coast to Naples with Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius en route

Italy

This was so much more than just a private transfer! This was also a full day tour with one of the most helpful and thoughtful drivers, Raphaele. We started early and drove through the Amalfi coast towards Pompei while Raphaele pointed out different areas and provided information about where we were. At one point I was feeling unwell from all the winding roads and he made me feel very taken care of by stopping, offering suggestions, and making sure I felt comfortable the rest of the ride. He offered local tips and information and shared about how his family lives and enjoys the area. He recommended a wonderful place for a wine tasting with paired food for lunch at the base of Vesuvius and made a reservation for us while we toured Pompei. Claudia was our VERY knowledgable tour guide in Pompei. We would NOT have had the same experience without her knowledge and guidance. Our only down side was that we could've spent hours longer learning from Claudia! After our Pompei tour and lunch at Casa Setaro winery, Raphaele took us up Vesuvius and allowed for us to explore. It was a very windy day which made it cold so be prepared with a sweater as the temperature is much different at that altitude. On the drive to Naples, Raphaele shared with us his limoncello recipe and made recommendations for where to dine in Naples. He navigated the bustling traffic in Naples well and we felt safe and cared for the whole time. Raphaele felt like an old friend by the time we were done!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Raphaele was our favorite driver while on this trip. Claudia was so knowledgable and I feel like I could listen to her talk all day about Pompei!

Transport

Sunset Kayak Private Tour in Santorini

Santorini

After an initial snafu with transportation, we were able to reschedule this tour for the following day. The staff were SO friendly, and really made the experience so fun and enjoyable. We felt cared for and that safety was a primary focus for the staff as they checked out certain areas before bringing us through. We were able to go at our own pace and adjust as needed. John was our guide and he was so kind, knowledgable, and easy going. He took many great photos for us so that we didn't have to worry about losing our phones. We stopped at a private cove to swim and eat and had the most beautiful views of the sunset. Nolan was another tour guide who was very friendly and Adonis, the owner was so kind and helpful. After we expressed how much we enjoyed one of the snacks from the tour, he made sure we had some to take home with us at the end of the tour and personally walked us back to our car.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot say enough great things about Vincenzo, Elisa and the Kimkim team for planning our amazing trip to Italy! From start to finish, the entire experience was seamless and stress-free. Vincenzo took the time to understand what we wanted from our vacation and crafted an itinerary that perfectly matched our interests and preferences.

Every detail was thoughtfully planned—from the charming accommodations to the knowledgeable guides who gave us an authentic feel for each city. The team was always available, providing prompt and helpful communication throughout the trip, which made us feel completely at ease. Whether it was exploring the rich history of Rome, the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, or indulging in the local cuisine, everything was flawless.

Thanks to Vincenzo and Kimkim, we had the trip of a lifetime! We cannot recommend them enough for anyone looking to plan an unforgettable experience in Italy. We will definitely use them again for our future travels!

Hugs,
Daniel and Christine Negalha

One year ago this week our family was on a fabulous vacation in Italy. Our incredible specialist Irene worked to plan our “Food and Wine Tour” according to the places we wanted to see and things we wanted to do. Our accommodations were beautiful, our drivers and tour guides were so friendly and the private activities she arranged were amazing. Some of the most memorable being a private wine tasting at a family winery held at their dining room table with “mom” preparing lunch and the family eating with us, a private cooking class in a renovated barn in the middle of nowhere in Tuscany and eating with the chef, and a private boat cruise complete with lunch down the coast of Cinque Terre and snorkeling in the Ligurian sea. We enjoyed every moment and hope to go back to see all of the places we did not get to experience and will definitely use KimKim and request Irene. We truly had a trip of a lifetime.

Our trip was planned and meticulously arranged by Kim Kim. From the initial interview to the final day of travel every detail was covered. Our accommodations were comfortable, clean and relaxing. Our accommodations in Florence were surrounded by the local residents and community. The semi-private tours were the highlight of our trip. From wineries, walking tours and the Vatican City we were met with knowledgeable guides and insights. With the use of WhatsApp, we were able to remain connected to the travel team for the duration of our trip. Overall, we would highly recommend booking your next trip with KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Ottantotto Hotel Florence

Florence

Beautiful, relaxing and peaceful location. We enjoyed being able to easily walk to all that Florence has to offer! Being nestled in the local community was an added bonus!

Authenticity & Character

Overlooking the interior garden was so beautiful and peaceful.

Location

Local community

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Olimpia

Venice

Front desk staff were amazing! They were able to easily respond to questions and provide helpful insight to the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

St. marks Basilica is about a 30 minute walk from hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Modigliani

Roma

They have a restaurant on site that offers a simple menu for dinner. This was especially helpful after long days in Rome. The view from our balcony was a great way to enjoy some downtime in the afternoons. Pantheon and Colosseum were a 20-25 minute walk. Vatican City is about 45 minute walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Venice Highlights Walking Tour

Venice

Our semi private tour was comprised of 6 people. Our guide was knowledgeable and provided insights on the city. Especially, how to easily escape the crowds! Highly recommended!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Chianti Wine & Olive Oil Tour from Florence

Florence

Our group of 8 enjoyed a wonderful day of food, wine and new friends! Highly recommend this tour. We were able to enjoy a full day in Tuscany with a small group. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Food

A wonderful lunch was served with more amazing wine!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

Our small group of 6 was the perfect way to tour the Colosseum. We were able to access multiple areas that were not accessible to the huge crowds. Tour guide was knowledgeable and easy to understand.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Early Morning Vatican Tour

Rome

The early start allowed us to fully enjoy our time in the Vatican City with feeling rushed. Our semi private tour consisted of a group of six. Our guide was funny and interesting . Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Morning Florence Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

This was our only tour that was in a larger group. They provided ear buds to be able to hear the tour guide. Our guide was knowledgeable, informed and funny! Her information was helpful to understanding the history of the city. This tour group was around 20-25 people. When compared to other tours , I would recommend the smaller group if possible.

Quality of Experience

Some of the group members were not willing to follow instructions.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was knowledgeable and funny!

Trastevere Afternoon Food Tour & Wine Experience

Rome

Our group of 6 was the perfect group. We enjoyed great conversations, excellent wine and food!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This tour was a 45-60 minute taxi ride from our accommodations. Otherwise, it was perfect!

Our trip was a great experience for us. All of the guides were charming and knowledgeable. The hotels, restaurants and locales were a pleasure to experience. One especially gorgeous place was Marmore Falls and the food tour we took in Rome was a real treat. We have nothing but praise for our local specialist, Vincenzo.

Activity Reviews

Guided Walking Tour of Napoli

Naples

Visit Naples Underground

Naples

Guided Tour of Pompeii

Italy

Our recent trip to Italy, organized by Kim Kim, was absolutely flawless. As it was our first time visiting, we relied heavily on their expertise, and we wouldn't change a thing about the experience. From start to finish, everything was incredibly well-organized, making our trip smooth and stress-free.

Kim Kim handled all our train and private transfers seamlessly, and our hotels were perfectly located in the heart of the action, allowing us to walk everywhere. They also provided invaluable advice on which tours to book ahead of time and gave us a comprehensive list of other activities to explore at our leisure.

What stood out most was how thoughtful they were about our itinerary. They planned it around our arrival times, ensuring we had time to settle in before immersing ourselves in each city. Their suggestions, like visiting elevated viewpoints in Rome and Florence upon arrival, gave us a perfect introduction to each destination.

Communication throughout the trip was excellent, which greatly helped to ease any anxiety we had. We also loved the convenience of the Trip Plans App, which had all our activities, bookings, and digital tickets neatly organized in one place.

Kim Kim truly thought of everything and made our trip an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Orto De' Medici

Florence

Beautiful large room with a view of garden. They provided a bottle of champagne upon our arrival. The hotel was within walking distance to all the city highlights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to the city highlights and just far enough away from the crowds.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mozart Rome

Roma

Great location. A little small. No views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Breakfast staff was very attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Atmosfere Guest House - 5 Terre e La Spezia

La Spezia

We felt safe. Bed was comfortable. We liked the terrace. Room was a little on the small side.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to train station, close to breakfast spots. We thought we may be in one of the 5 villages. The feel of La Spezia was not what we expected.

Staff

Little contact with staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albergo Marin

Venice

Perfect location. It was great to see the gondolas and singers right outside our window.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to all districts

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked

Guided Visit of Florence Including David and Duomo

Florence

Brenda was energetic, funny and personable. She was very knowledgeable. The timing of the tour was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Tuscany: Chianti Winery Visit & San Gimignano

Italy

Check out this review of Small-Group Vernaccia di San Gimignano Wine Tour - White and Red Wines on Tripadvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187895-d18976319-r969954725-Small_Group_Vernaccia_di_San_Gimignano_Wine_Tour_White_and_Red_Wines-Florence_T.html

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Sunset Cruise

Cinque Terre

Fun, informative. We met 4 other couples and had a great time. The villages are breathtaking from the water.

Quality of Experience

Food

No food was provided, but the wine and beer were flowing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Danny was very knowledgeable about all 5 villages.

Transport

Venetian Lagoon Experience: Rowing in Venice

Venice

We had a great time learning how to row! The guides were engaging and helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

If we could give Andrea Gambino 10 stars we would. Kimkim was recommended to us when trying to plan an Italy trip with many moving pieces. Once we connected with Andrea we realized all the things we wanted to do in Italy would become reality. From the very beginning we were very impressed with the knowledge and detail put into our itinerary.
We had 17 days on ground . We arrived in Rome and were met by a private driver. This was the beginning of our experience with many private drivers throughout Italy starting throughout Rome to Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi coast, Florence, Pisa, San Gimignano. Every driver was on time and very professional. It was a great way to get from point A to point B. We did use a taxi service as well that was excellent.
Andrea listened to our desires and goals and suggested itineraries and then scheduled all of our private tour guides.
Silvia Ferrari 3 hours Colosseum and Palestine Hill was an expert . We had skip the line tickets.
Mariapaola Vatican Museum & St Peters Basilica skip the line tickets and incredible knowledge.
Private guide in Catacombs and underground church
Pompeii private guide Stephen excellent and vast knowledge
Fiammetta our private tour guide for Academia gallery .
Pisa private tour guide. Every single tour guide was professional with a vast knowledge and expertise in the respective areas. We learned what the guides have to do professionally to be guides. It’s pretty comprehensive. Thank you Andrea for arranging all of this for us as well . These private guides were also able to recommend some local great restaurants!! The hotels that Andrea reserved were beautiful and clean and exceeded our expectations.
Our road book for this trip was so detailed that we always felt comfortable with all that we were doing. We built free time into our schedule with the assistance and recommendations from Andrea.
This trip and all its moving parts would not have been possible without Andrea’s expertise and vast knowledge. Every aspect of our trip was spot on and we never experienced one hiccup. It was unbelievable that it went so smoothly.
I would definitely use KimKim and Andrea again for a trip of this magnitude.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Bussola

Amalfi

Beautiful terrace with beautiful water view. Excellent service great breakfast included. Respectful pleasant staff! Very comfortable bed!

Authenticity & Character

Typical Amalfi decor great vibe

Location

Staff

All respectful pleasant and professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable bed hotel was spotless , very clean

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

This boutique hotel was amazing. The 4th floor suite was amazing. Beautiful terrace. Very clean, comfortable bed and amazing staff! Loved it here.

Authenticity & Character

It was just boutique and lovely. Very close to a delicious family Italian restaurant!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum and Roman Forum - small group guided tour

Rome

Silvia Ferrari extremely knowledgeable . We had Skip the line tickets. Invest in Skip the line and use a private guide you get so much more out of the tour! We loved this so much!

Quality of Experience

The vast knowledge , expertise and education of our private guides.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Always on time never ever late very professional and knew enough English to communicate

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line ticket

Rome

Amazing ! our guide Mariapaola was extremely knowledgeable and personable . I believe she was with us longer than expected.

Quality of Experience

Expertise of our private guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always on time , professional and respectful

Transport

Underground Rome Catacombs Tour

Rome

This was amazing! The underground church is beautiful and going underground to the catacombs was a first for me. Our guide was terrific! We were so happy we did this!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

This was something my husband and I wanted to do. It is truly an incredible place and amazing to see 2/3 of uncovered ruins. Our guide was so knowledgeable with many years of experience . He works at the site.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Accademia Gallery - skip the line entrance

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Florence

Our guide very knowledgeable and personable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On time always and professional

Transport

Wine tasting with light lunch and winery visit

Italy

Beautiful surroundings so happy we did this

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided walk at Piazza dei Miracoli and Leaning Tower in Pisa (2 hours)

Italy

Had no idea what to expect Pisa is a beautiful and clean city. Private guide had lots of interesting information

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pisa leaning tower and Piazza dei Miracoli monuments entrance

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My daughter and I traveled around Italy and had a blast. Francesco developed the perfect itinerary for us. We went to Rome (saw the Colosseum, Trevi fountain, Spanish steps, Palatine Hill) then on to Sorrento to experience the Amalfi coast (had a day trip to Capri (my favorite) and another day trip to see the rest of the coast) and lastly experienced Venice and all it had to offer. Unfortunately we missed our connecting flight to Rome to start the trip and we reached out to Francesco and he was able to cancel our private transfer, let the hotel know we would be late, and rescheduled the tours we had scheduled for that day. He kept us calm and made everything easy peasy! It was the trip of a lifetime and we will forever recommend KimKim for any travel needs!!

Hotel Reviews

Pantheon Inn

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tasso Suites & Spa

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Firenze

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very nice location, but difficult to find initally

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill

Rome

Our guide was informational and fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jessica did an amazing job with helping us plan our trip to Florence and Cinque Terra. Accommodations were spot on - perfect and fit exactly within our budget. would highly recommend both Jessica and the kimkim team / app should you need a local expert to hlpe you plan!

Hotel Review

7Florence B&B

Florence

PERFECT -- CLEAN - SAFE - EXPERT STAFF GREAT BREAKFAST TOO

Authenticity & Character

Location

CENTRAL TO EVERYTHING - train and even with parking close by

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cinque Terre Day Trip From Florence

Florence

seamless from start to finish from the shuttle to the train - perfect!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

tonya spoke perfect english and was a expert tour guide!

Transport

clean comfortable safe

Overall
We enjoyed the trip and thought it was a good itinerary to experience Sicily - the food, the history, the culture and the hospitality. Unfortunately the poor communication left a lot to be desired ...

Communication
• Total lack of responses within a reasonable period - from start to end
• Regardless of time differences, I think a simple acknowledgement or response within 24-48 hours is reasonable. In the case of Thanos, 2 weeks or more, with multiple follow ups, is the norm. If you find this hard to believe, just check the conversation.
• While we hesitated at the beginning, we figured it might have been an anomaly because of the agent's 5 star rating. Now we seriously questioned the validity of the rating system all together.

Administration
• Request for early payment - happened after multiple requests
• Request for final payment - happened after multiple requests and when it finally went online, the amounts were different for each of the 4 parties (when they should be the same)
• Final itinerary was not available until a few days before the start of the trip. What started as a couple of simple questions about the itinerary 4 weeks before the start of the trip, the total lack of response caused the entire group to doubt if the trip was going to take place a week before the trip. Such outcome is totally unacceptable!

Accommodation
• Hotels at Palermo and Catania are good - convenient location, clean and good services.
• The hotel in Agrigento is in the middle of nowhere. We could not understand why this hotel was picked. Fortunately the front desk was able to arrange a special meal for us at a local restaurant (instead of just drinks and sandwiches at a beach bar).

Transportation
• Drivers were good and courteous. But we could not understand why we got a minivan that would only fit 8 ... when the original party had 10 people. Sure, 2 people cancelled out at the last minute, but we do not consider the jump seat beside the driver approriate for 70+ seniors! In addition, occasionally the guide had to squeeze in with us, or simply sat in the cargo bay.

Guides
• All the guides are experienced and knowledgeable on the subject. Of the many different guides we had, we thought Lorenzo at the Valley of the Temples, Natalya at the Villa Romana del Casale, and finally Laura at Catania and Taormina provided exemplary services.
• We also enjoyed the cooking class at Cucina Garibaldi a lot. The activity was fun, the staff were friendly and helpful, and I would not hesitate to recommend the activity to fellow travelers.
• Mrs Maria, our local contact, has been very responsive and helpful throughout the trip.
• This might have been a misunderstanding on my part - that we would get the same driver / guide for each city - especially after all the troubles we went through to finalize the itinerary. Despite what was stated in the itinerary and two queries during our stay in Catania, we never met our assigned person Daniela. While we had the same driver for our stay in Catania, he could not tell us if he would be our driver the following day. While everything worked out in the end, I thought, at a minimum, the expectation could be managed better and not lead one into thinking this is a fly by night operation.

Giulia was very attentive! Enzo was wonderful!

The tour guides, hotel managers, and drivers were all so accommodating and welcoming. The trip went so smoothly, and everything we did was awesome. Thank you so much!

Hotel Reviews

Altar Suites Athens

Athens

The hotel manager was so kind and welcoming. It was very clean and beautiful. The location was amazing with gorgeous views of the Acropilis and easy walks to many nearby restaurants and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Location

so close to the Acropilis, bars, restaurants, shops, etc.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

We even had robes and slippers!

Seven Suites

Imerovigli

The infinity pool was so beautiful, the staff were very nice, and the room was very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The location is kind of in the middle between Thira and Ouia which cost about 40-50 Euro each way

Staff

We got an amazing breakfast delivered to our room

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Konstantin

Mykonos

Authenticity & Character

The views were absolutely stunning for sunset, and the cats who live there were so friendly and cute.

Location

It's such a short walk down the hill to Mykonos town, and a short walk up the road to a market.

Staff

The staff were so nice, remembering our names, giving us poolside service, and helping us get transportation!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Every day our room was cleaned

Activity Reviews

Good morning in Athens Welcome Tour

Athens

The sites we went to and the lake were great! I just wish I had been more prepared for the day and knew what to have in my carry on bag, especially for the lake. And I wish the driver had been more talkative and had explained where he was taking us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver didn't seem interested in chatting with us and was difficult to coordinate with. He dropped us off somewhere and said call me when you're ready to be picked up. But didn't give us a way to contact him, and didn't explain to us where he was dropping us off or what we should bring with us from our luggage.

Transport

Acropolis and Ancient Greek Mythology Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luxury Catamaran Cruise around Santorini

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sailing Escape to Rhenia island

Mykonos

We had an amazing time, this was a very relaxing and family friendly boat trip. The snorkeling was quite underwhelming, but we swam and used the SUP anyway. The views were gorgeous and the water was crystal clear.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our first trip booked with KimKim was an absolute success. Francesco was our specialists and accommodated our trip that best fit our needs. I would highly recommend KimKim if you are planning a trip that may be a new or revisited destination.

Activity Review

Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill

Rome

We had the pleasure of having Alex as our tour guide. I would highly recommend this tour and asking for him. He made this experience amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex

The website made planning and booking a breeze. The ability to share comments back and forth about suggested locations, tours, and hotels streamlined the process. We felt we received a good value for our money and appreciated Vincenzo's efforts to stay within budget. Having local contacts who were available as needed gave us peace of mind. Upon arrival, we didn't have to worry about a thing—everything was booked and ready for us as expected.

The companies, guides, and drivers booked for us - from the amazing Cristina for the history and food tour in Milano to our excellent driver Giovanni for a rainy day trip to Lake Como and Tommasso for our walking history tour of Rome - were all exceptional. Their expertise and companionship made our experiences memorable.

My only negative feedback is that it would be helfpful if after the hotel is selected and the price point determined, provide reprsentative photos that depict the hotel rooms booked rather than the premium version to set the right expectation.

We will definitely keep KimKim in mind for future travel.

Elen did a wonderful job of transferring our vacation wishes into a detailed itinerary. We went through a couple of iterations before settling on the final plan, and she was very patient with our changes. Once in Italy, our local contact Maria made sure we were always informed about pickup times and tour guide details, ready to support us if necessary.
Florence was awe-inspiring (as expected) - in hindsight I wish we had spent a couple of more days in Siena, but that was our choice, not a criticism of Elen.
Will definitely use Kim Kim for planning our next vacation!