Kimkim Trip Reviews for Mexico

4.6
Based on 135 ratings
Read 135 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip to Mexico on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Mexico discovered thanks to Jorge and the amazing guides
Mexico | Mar 19 - Mar 24, 2023

Martin
Martin S.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 29, 2023
Jorge was great to work with and he did a wonderful job in understanding what we were looking for and planning accordingly. The trip was amazing. Each guide we had was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and fun and showed us places we would never have discovered on our own. We had a wonderful outing in Teotitlán, hiking, bird watching and visiting a weaving family and having a wonderful lunch with them. We visited the paradisiacal Apoala with its blue lagoon and waterfalls , horse riding to... Read more

Jorge was great to work with and he did a wonderful job in understanding what we were looking for and planning accordingly. The trip was amazing. Each guide we had was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and fun and showed us places we would never have discovered on our own. We had a wonderful outing in Teotitlán, hiking, bird watching and visiting a weaving family and having a wonderful lunch with them. We visited the paradisiacal Apoala with its blue lagoon and waterfalls , horse riding to the Dinosaur tracks was stunning and discovering Puebla City and Cholula and learning about the history, culture and beautiful churches was fascinating . It was a full five days filled with interactions, visits and sites we will never forget.

Hotel Reviews
La Catrina de Alcalá

Very clean, friendly staff and quiet.

Authenticity & Character
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Cantarranas
Tehuacan
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Pepe Puebla
Puebla

Great room and amazing bathroom. Clean, friendly and perfect location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
A tour through Teotitlán del Valle and its handicrafts in Oaxaca
A tour through Teotitlán del Valle and its handicrafts in Oaxaca
Oaxaca

Margaux was an amazing guide and person. So much know and able to point out bursa to us we would never have seen. We did a wonderful hike and had lunch with a weaving family learning about weaving. We also visited a candle making workshop and the village of Teotitlán . It was the perfect day.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Margaux was so knowledgeable, flexible, relaxed and fun
Transport
Hike and swim in Santiago Apoala
Hike and swim in Santiago Apoala
Oaxaca

Such a beautiful paradise

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was great. A joy to be with and very flexible, interesting and knowledgeable
Transport
In the Footsteps of Dinosaurs in San Juan Raya
In the Footsteps of Dinosaurs in San Juan Raya
Mexico

Quite a long horse ride down to the area with the dinosaur tracks . Fascinating to hear all about the history and geology. The guides were wonderful and very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience
Scenery, history,
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Walking tour of the historic center of Puebla
Walking tour of the historic center of Puebla
Puebla

We were fascinated to visit Puebla and discover what a great city it is. The cathedral, the library , multiple churches, candy street and pottery. All amazing. Maria was lovely and very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover the Magical town of Cholula
Discover the Magical town of Cholula
Mexico

It was wonderful discovering the churches here, especially the one coated in ceramics and fascinating to learn about the pyramids underneath the main church

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide was full of energy and knowledge and great fun. The driver was fantastic.
Transport
Very comfortable and friendly driver - Miguel
Local specialist: Jorge Reyna

Kimkim did a great job of helping us put together a trip in short order - I removed a tour to leave a little time for relaxing on Holbox and was glad I did.
Mexico | Feb 27 - Mar 8, 2023

Narain
Narain S.
North Chicopee, MA | Reviewed on Mar 22, 2023
Kimkim did a great job of helping us put together a trip in a rather short window. Highlights included Hotel B on Cozumel, but do not get the Jungle Room - it is well worth the upgrade to get ocean side; then to Nojoch Keej where Manuel showed us around (we enjoyed him very much); then Ek Balam and Valladolid, and a few days to chill on Holbox. Chichen Itza is a must-see, but Ek Balam is more fun and we were able to see both in one day, along with a cenote' and get a little more time at... Read more

Kimkim did a great job of helping us put together a trip in a rather short window. Highlights included Hotel B on Cozumel, but do not get the Jungle Room - it is well worth the upgrade to get ocean side; then to Nojoch Keej where Manuel showed us around (we enjoyed him very much); then Ek Balam and Valladolid, and a few days to chill on Holbox. Chichen Itza is a must-see, but Ek Balam is more fun and we were able to see both in one day, along with a cenote' and get a little more time at Holbox for relaxing at the end of the trip. Vallodolid is well worth a stop and fun to stay on the main square, lots of great food and just a nice city center. Leslie did a great job of being available when we needed assistance. The Kimkim website saves your trip for viewing, but to access it you need wifi. I ended up saving a pdf of the trip on my phone so that I could follow along without wifi. Our drivers and guides were very friendly and knowledgeable in their arena. All in all a great trip - thank you. n & k

Local specialist: Leslie Pérez

Oaxaca and CDMX
Mexico | Mar 11 - Mar 18, 2023

K
kenna n.
Winter Park, FL | Reviewed on Mar 19, 2023

We really liked Anna and Leonadro. ( I did not go to Monte Alban

Local specialist: Rene Rodarte
Rene
Rene Rodarte
Local specialist in Mexico city | Replied on Mar 20, 2023

Hello Kenna!
We are so glad that you had a good time in Mexico! I'll make sure the hotels know that you loved your stay and we will look forward to assist in your next visit!

Rene

Great trip - very well done. We especially ...
Mexico | Mar 12 - Mar 16, 2023

Kimberly
Kimberly H.
Wallingford Center, CT | Reviewed on Mar 18, 2023

Great trip - very well done. We especially enjoyed Sian Ka'an and our tour guide Memo! Beautiful city and wonderful breakfast

Local specialist: Isabelle Bauer
Isabelle
Isabelle Bauer
Local specialist in Tulum | Replied on Mar 20, 2023

Dear Kimberly,

Thank you very much for your feedback! I am happy that you enjoyed your time in Tulum :)
I wish you all the best and I hope that you will visit Mexico again soon!
Isa and Rutopía team

Mexico Trip
Mexico | Mar 4 - Mar 17, 2023

Julie
Julie S.
Bellevue, WA | Reviewed on Mar 18, 2023
Wonderful trip by Rutopia. Excellent communication and trip planning . Once in Mexico the drivers, guides and hotels were all excellent. The travel agency did an awesome job of keeping in touch with you throughout the trip. The trip was flawless and excellent. Would recommmend Kimkim and their associated partner in Mexico without hesitation! Read more

Wonderful trip by Rutopia. Excellent communication and trip planning . Once in Mexico the drivers, guides and hotels were all excellent. The travel agency did an awesome job of keeping in touch with you throughout the trip. The trip was flawless and excellent. Would recommmend Kimkim and their associated partner in Mexico without hesitation!

Hotel Review
Pug Seal Oaxaca
Oaxaca

Loved this hotel. Beautiful with a traditional and contemporary vibe. Excellent location. Staff were all helpful and welcoming

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful traditional style with contemporary beauty
Location
Great location right in the historic district
Staff
All friendly, spoke excellent English, very welcoming
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Experience: Tacos, Chelas & Mezcal in Narvarte
Private Experience: Tacos, Chelas & Mezcal in Narvarte
Mexico City

Fun and provides the opportunity to try local street food this is safe to eat

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great guide
Transport
Visit Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Queretaro
Visit Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Queretaro
Mexico

Interesting and beautiful Aztec pyramids with historical significance

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wine tasting at San Lucas Vineyard
Wine tasting at San Lucas Vineyard
San Miguel de Allende

Beautiful winery! Had no idea Mexico produced good wines. We were given 5 tastings. Enjoyed this excursion very much

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rural cooking workshop in Oaxaca
Rural cooking workshop in Oaxaca
Oaxaca

Highly recommend this activity if you want to immerse yourself in local culture. It was wonderful to be able to cook and learn recipes of a local woman from a small village. One of the most memorable activities of the tour

Quality of Experience
Food
Biking tour and street art
Biking tour and street art
Oaxaca

Fun way to see Oaxaca and the beautiful murals surrounding the town

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Karen Quintero

Mexican highlands are just amazing!
Mexico | Feb 22 - Mar 8, 2023

Kimberly
Kimberly B.
Hurlock, MD | Reviewed on Mar 15, 2023
Tremendous, authentic knowledgeable and kind guides and drivers shared the culture, cuisine, and history of a very special part of Mexico. Read more

Tremendous, authentic knowledgeable and kind guides and drivers shared the culture, cuisine, and history of a very special part of Mexico.

Hotel Reviews
Zócalo Central
Mexico City

This is a fabulous hotel however, it’s not where we stayed.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Please do not report these comments as this is not the hotel that we stayed in on this trip.
La Morada Hotel
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato

Authentic, historic and beautiful hotel right on the edge of the historic district. Perfect location, excellent staff, comfortable beds, and large rooms, very safe.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
El Mesón de los Poetas
Guanajuato

A very comfortable and convenient historic hotel in the heart of downtown.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Morales Historical & Colonial Downtown Core
Mexicaltzingo, Guadalajara, Jal.

A historic and authentic hotel very close to the historic District of town. Very comfortable, clean, and busy.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Tour of historic Mexico City with street food tasting
Tour of historic Mexico City with street food tasting
Mexico City

An excellent way to get acclimated to the history, culture and food of Mexico City. Our tour guide was fabulous!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The Historic Route of Guadalajara
The Historic Route of Guadalajara
Guadalajara

An excellent tour to get acclimated to the history and culture of Guadalajara

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide grasp of the history of the area needs to mature quite a bit, he was very nice, and he did a good job.
Transport
Tequila Route and Agavero Landscape with family distillery visit
Tequila Route and Agavero Landscape with family distillery visit
Guadalajara

This is a must do you activity if you are in the area! We learned so much about the business of tequila from our visit to the distillery, fabulous lunch in downtown tequila, and a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tour the famous and picturesque neighborhood of Coyoacán.
Tour the famous and picturesque neighborhood of Coyoacán.
Mexico City

A really beautiful part of the city to explore with a knowledgeable guide. We had a wonderful day, walking and learning about the culture and food. Also a great way to learn about how all the local people live, and the history of the area.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli
Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli
Mexico City

This was such a unique and interesting museum. After everything we have read about Diego Rivera I did not expect to experience his art in such an amazing spot.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bernal, Querétaro: colonial Mexico’s home
Bernal, Querétaro: colonial Mexico’s home
Mexico

We really loved visiting this mountain town sitting underneath his magical rocks! Going on a weekend when many local people were out and enjoying a beautiful day was extra special. I also really loved seeing the authentic weavers and their looms.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wine Tasting Tour in San Miguel de Allende
Wine Tasting Tour in San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende

Visiting this unique young winery, tasting wines, and having a fabulous lunch was just beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Historical urban walk en Guanajuato
Historical urban walk en Guanajuato
Guanajuato

Susanna was, I think the most well, educated, well spoken, and authentic guy that we had on our trip. We learned so much about her city in a short period of time, and really enjoyed touring with her.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Horse-riding through the mountains of Guanajuato
Horse-riding through the mountains of Guanajuato
Guanajuato

There is really nothing like exploring the Santa Rosa mountains side from the back of a horse. Antonio rode along with us so he could interpret our Spanish ranch on her and guide. They have been friends for generations. After the ride, we had a beautifully prepared Mexican lunch at the ranch. A one-of-a-kind experience!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Isabelle Bauer
Isabelle
Isabelle Bauer
Local specialist in Tulum | Replied on Mar 15, 2023

Dear Kimberly,

Thank you very much for your feedback! It means a lot to us and proves us right to only work with local partners and trustful guides that offer high-quality service and authentic experiences.

It was a pleasure for me to plan your trip and I would love to welcome you again in Mexico!
Isa and Rutopía team

Kim Kim never fails
Mexico | Feb 24 - Mar 5, 2023

AnaElvia
AnaElvia S.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Mar 12, 2023
Kim Kim never fails Read more

Kim Kim never fails

Hotel Reviews
Viva Villahermosa
Villahermosa

The hotel is one of the oldest hotels in the area. Very well located because you can walk to a beautiful park in the back and also to La Venta. The pool area is wonderful but the food for breakfast café is not up to par. The rooms are old and terrible lighting in the bathrooms. They are working with some of the rooms but basically they are not doing a good remodel they’re just painting. It’s as clean as it can be, but I was not impressed by anything. My room unfortunately was in the back and there was some kind of event the first night that kept going till three in the morning. The band was playing people screaming and yelling, so that was a bad night in itself. Would I go back to it , maybe but it wouldn’t be my first choice. I chose this hotel. It has nothing to do with Kim Kim. I don’t think their advertisement is truly honest.

Authenticity & Character
They basically need to remodel everything. It’s one of the oldest hotels which is understandable, but the maintenance is not as great as it should be. It could really be a wonderful place.
Location
Very centrally located with a beautiful park in the back that you can walk along and be very safe. It’s right along the lake so the views are fantastic. I was there on Sunday so it’s very nice to see all the families and groupings of people having a good time, relaxing and enjoying its beauty. It is also very close to la Venta so you can really just walk over.
Staff
I basically use the BILL boy ones and the waiters two days. Everybody was kind and helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The place was actually clean, but if they were to remodel, it would look so much better. The bed was very comfortable. TV was working. They had a safety deposit box which is nice to have everywhere. The lighting was horrific. Basically there was hardly any light in the sink area and it could not be improved because they had built over the light fixtures and you couldn’t remove it to replace a lightbulb
Piedra de Agua Hotel Boutique Palenque
Palenque

An exquisite place to be. Right in the middle of the jungle. They only serve breakfast, which is kind of a downside because everything else is not a walking distance. But the place is wonderfully decorated super comfortable and just very unique.. I will definitely go back to it.

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful settings and perfect decoration for the type of hotel that it is. Very unique.
Location
I chose this hotel because of the set up and the location which is the middle of the jungle or at least it makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the jungle. It is very well decorated extremely comfortable and very clean. They offer massage services and things like that which I don’t usually Use myself, but they are available. They do not speak English at the front, which makes it difficult for some of the tours that are seeking to have the massages. I was the only gas that that time the hotel since it’s low season. The Jacuzzi obviously was not kept at temperature neither the pool which was a little bit disheartening. But all in all it’s a place of 100% relaxation. There is no telephone no TV . Loved it.
Staff
Again, I’m not a person that relies a lot on staff, but whoever I was in contact with was very kind and very service oriented
Cleanliness & Comfort
Immaculately clean
Guayaba Inn
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas

I chose Guayaba Inn as well. The surroundings are magnificent, beautifully decorated rooms are immaculately, clean and super comfortable. They do have TV and a bar. One of my favorites.

Authenticity & Character
Gorgeous, decorations and colors of walls. Walkways little hidden corners trees everywhere just truly a place that one should have time to enjoy while staying there. The patio, are lovely and the attention to detail it’s right on
Location
It’s located a little bit away from downtown but you can still walk the streets. It’s very safe.
Staff
No, English is spoken but everybody’s very kind and a service minded
Cleanliness & Comfort
Wonderfully clean, organized and extremely comfortable. It has its own unique elegance about it. My room was lovely and I didn’t really want to leave.
La Catrina de Alcalá

If you want to stay a few blocks away from Zocalo and the excitement of the city. This is a place to go. I did not like the fact that it’s in a pedestrian area so cars cannot come in and if you have suitcases and things like that, it makes it very difficult for the drivers to park the cars a block around and try to help you. I tend to like hotels that have patios and gardens. This one is an old Casona which does have an atrium, but does not have any green areas. Regardless, it is extremely clean comfortable very spacious and wonderful lighting in every room. I still would recommend it. I’m just picky about having green areas and feeling like I can be outdoors when I come to the hotel in the afternoons to take a break.

Authenticity & Character
This is an authentic Casona, wonderfully decorated with bright colors in the rooms and white walls with a beautiful contrast.. they’re breakfast or a huge, so be prepared for that. They are pretty Atlantic to the area as well. Even though they were short of personnel, you would’ve never been their breakfast or a huge, so be prepared for that. They are pretty Atlantic to the area as well. Even though they were short of personnel, you would’ve never been able to tell because they went beyond the 2 miles to take care of you.. again one thing I have to mention is that none of the hotels or places that I have been are easy to maneuver if you have a handicap
Location
Like I said, the location is great because you are in walking distance of all of the downtown areas. It is very safe and easy to walk around.
Staff
Everybody was helpful and kind
Cleanliness & Comfort
Immaculately clean
Local specialist: Leslie Pérez

Everything was fabulous. 10 days in mexico.
Mexico | Feb 27 - Mar 3, 2023

Wendy
Wendy A.
Australia | Reviewed on Mar 10, 2023
Everything was fabulous. 10 days in mexico. Isabelle did the pre trip planning and it was such a simple process to end up with a perfect trip for us.
Interesting options with local guides you could not organize yourself.
Lizbeth for our support while traveling was amazing. I did not realize this was also included.. such a high level of support helped when a snorkeling trip was cancelled due to weather . Refund was processed straight away with no drama.
And one evening a city walking guide...
Read more

Everything was fabulous. 10 days in mexico. Isabelle did the pre trip planning and it was such a simple process to end up with a perfect trip for us.
Interesting options with local guides you could not organize yourself.
Lizbeth for our support while traveling was amazing. I did not realize this was also included.. such a high level of support helped when a snorkeling trip was cancelled due to weather . Refund was processed straight away with no drama.
And one evening a city walking guide didn't arrive.. Lizbeth sorted it out and booked us in for an even better experience the next evening.

I will be traveling with KimKim again. Cannot recommend more highly.

Hotel Review
Casa Don Diego
Tulum
Local specialist: Isabelle Bauer
Isabelle
Isabelle Bauer
Local specialist in Tulum | Replied on Mar 10, 2023

Dear Wendy,

Thank you very much for your review - it is well appreciated by all of our team!

For me, it was a pleasure to plan your trip and I am so happy that you enjoyed your time in Mexico.

My colleague Lizbeth does a great job - thank you for your kind words :)

I wish you all the best and would love to welcome you back in Mexico!

Isa and Rutopía team

Oaxaca, Mexico
Mexico | Feb 15 - Feb 21, 2023

T
Tracey B.
Marysville, OH | Reviewed on Feb 24, 2023
The trip was amazing, I knew virtually nothing about Oaxaca so the tours provided were perfect, giving me a good overview of the city and region. The hotel was unique, a bio friendly set with a rather novel toilet arrangement that may not be good for everyone but it was clearn, safe and centrally located so easy to get around on foot. Very good experience. Read more

The trip was amazing, I knew virtually nothing about Oaxaca so the tours provided were perfect, giving me a good overview of the city and region. The hotel was unique, a bio friendly set with a rather novel toilet arrangement that may not be good for everyone but it was clearn, safe and centrally located so easy to get around on foot. Very good experience.

Hotel Review
Niyana Biocultural Hotel

It was a unique set up with a novel toilet arrangement tat may not be suitable for everyone but was clean and centrally located which was nice. Hosts were friendly, I like that we connected by WhatsApp so they were available quickly for any questions, issue.

Authenticity & Character
Simple, clean, friendly
Location
Walking distance to key areas.
Staff
Didn’t interact that much, but nice and friendly
Cleanliness & Comfort
Dry toile a bit unique, not a problem but not sure I would use it again.
Activity Reviews
Biking tour and street art
Biking tour and street art
Oaxaca

Really likel this, didn’t know about this aspect of Oaxaca .

Quality of Experience
I loved looking at the different art and stories behind them
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very knowledgeable, friendly
Transport
Biking was fun
Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.
Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.
Oaxaca

I love learning about ancient history of areas, this was very interesting, a lot of time allowed to explore.

Quality of Experience
Like the topic
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Good knowledge of the issue
Transport
Comfortable, clean
Oaxaca's Hidden Gems: Discover Mitla, Hierve el Agua, Teotitlán & Mezcal!
Oaxaca's Hidden Gems: Discover Mitla, Hierve el Agua, Teotitlán & Mezcal!
Oaxaca

I didn’t know about any of these areas so I like learning about them.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
I only have an issue with the tequila tour- the English speakers were taken by an English guide who, frankly, had a poor command of the language. I felt we (only 2 English speakers) did not get a good overview of the history of tequila, how it was made, etc.
Transport
Comfortable, clean
Walk through the enchanted forest of  Ixtepeji
Walk through the enchanted forest of Ixtepeji
Oaxaca

Didn’t happen, mixup in depart times, not a problem, got refunded.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Leslie Pérez

Kimkim provided us with really great guides. ...
Mexico | Feb 6 - Feb 20, 2023

M
Madalyn K.
Harlingen, TX | Reviewed on Feb 23, 2023
Kimkim provided us with really great guides. Jose shared Mexico City with us (Coyoacan, Casa Azul, Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli). Eloy told us so much at amazing Teotihuaca, City of the Gods. We explored awesome Monte Alban and several Oaxacan neighborhoods with Leonardo; we saw several wedding celebrations. Ada, with connections to our home town, walked us through Guadalajara's squares and museums. In Guanajuato, Susanna took us on a tour of her very quaint town. From San Miguel... Read more

Kimkim provided us with really great guides. Jose shared Mexico City with us (Coyoacan, Casa Azul, Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli). Eloy told us so much at amazing Teotihuaca, City of the Gods. We explored awesome Monte Alban and several Oaxacan neighborhoods with Leonardo; we saw several wedding celebrations. Ada, with connections to our home town, walked us through Guadalajara's squares and museums. In Guanajuato, Susanna took us on a tour of her very quaint town. From San Miguel de Allende, Jose took us to historic Dolores Hidalgo and learned about Mexican independence. We had a moving experience with him when we participated for a few minutes in the funeral Mass and procession to the cemetery of a 68-year old wife, mother, grandmother. In Queretaro, Fernando took us to see the Pena de Bernal, a monolith, surrounded by a touristy town.

Hotel Reviews
La Casa del Atrio
Queretaro

We had this room for approximately 12 hours due to a 0100 departure time to get the Benito Juarez Airport. There was an 'honor' bar, which is a good idea. There was no heat source in this room; it got chilly during thr night. I don't believe there was a coffee maker in this room; that is always a disappointment. All showers should have grab bars and/or seats for older travelers.

Authenticity & Character
It's a beautiful place.
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Zócalo Central
Mexico City

Drinks and light meals are provided 24 hrs a day, gratis. Great location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
La Catrina de Alcalá

I don't believe this hotel had a coffee maker in the room; that is always a disappointment while we are traveling. All showers should have grab bars and/or seats for older travelers. Because I had requested ground-floor rooms or hotels with elevators, we had a nice room on the ground floor. It would've been lovely to have had an upper floor with balcony in one of the hotels overlooking the square.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Short walk to the square.
Staff
Breakfast servers were very attentive and kind.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Morales Historical & Colonial Downtown Core
Mexicaltzingo, Guadalajara, Jal.

There was a coffee maker in the room. I don't recall if this hotel had a grab bar and/or seat in the shower for older travelers.

Authenticity & Character
Charming place.
Location
Staff
Breakfast staff was kind and attentive.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Edelmira Hotel Boutique
Centro Guanajuato, Guanajuato

We were upgraded to a suite: that was great. But the suite was reached with a number of stairs, both up and down, around many corners. It was a real labyrinth. There was an espresso-type maker in the room. I don't recall the room's shower. All showers should have grabbed bars and/or seats for older travelers.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Just a block from the really lovely square.
Staff
The tall porter was great; he took good care of us.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Monteverde Best Inns
León

I regret that the one memory of this hotel was that there was no source of heating in our room. The outside temperature was low, so our room was cold. There was sufficient warm bedding. I don't believe there was a coffee maker in the room; that is always a disappointment. All showers should have grab bars and/or seats for older travelers.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Explore the Casa Azul Museum
Explore the Casa Azul Museum
Mexico City
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli
Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli
Mexico City
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private walking tour of Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Private walking tour of Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Mexico City

Awesome!

Quality of Experience
Food
Sorry, I don't remember food as part of this tour.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Archaeological Tour in Monte Albán
Archaeological Tour in Monte Albán
Oaxaca

Must see!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Oaxacan Markets: A Culinary Journey through Colors and Flavors
Oaxacan Markets: A Culinary Journey through Colors and Flavors
Oaxaca

Great for food-market lovers.

Quality of Experience
Enjoyed an unusual corn/chocolate/water drink.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Historical Guadalajara & Museums
Historical Guadalajara & Museums
Mexico
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Historical urban walk en Guanajuato
Historical urban walk en Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Dolores Hidalgo and the Sanctuary of Atotonilco
Dolores Hidalgo and the Sanctuary of Atotonilco
San Miguel de Allende
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bernal, Querétaro: colonial Mexico’s home
Bernal, Querétaro: colonial Mexico’s home
Mexico
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Isabelle Bauer
Isabelle
Isabelle Bauer
Local specialist in Tulum | Replied on Feb 27, 2023

Dear Madalyn, Dear Anne,

Thank you very much for your feedback! I am happy that you had a wonderful time in Mexico :)

Great to read that you especially enjoyed the tours with our guides - this proves us right to exclusively work with local partners that are committed to a high quality service, fair tourism and a positive impact on the region.

I wish you all the best and I hope that you will visit Mexico again soon!
Isa

Seniors were delighted with a private guide at every city
Mexico | Feb 13 - Feb 21, 2023

Pacita
Pacita D.
Sunrise Manor, NV | Reviewed on Feb 22, 2023
We are seniors (69 and 74) who want to continue exploring and traveling while we can still walk and climb stairs. Our main interests are in the lines of history, culture and gastronomy of the places we visit, and that's what we wanted to see and experience during our first visit to Mexico. Kimkim delivered spectacularly. Our days were filled with trips to places we were delighted to see --- archaeological sites, churches, plazas neighborhoods, local markets, etc. We were definitely... Read more

We are seniors (69 and 74) who want to continue exploring and traveling while we can still walk and climb stairs. Our main interests are in the lines of history, culture and gastronomy of the places we visit, and that's what we wanted to see and experience during our first visit to Mexico.

Kimkim delivered spectacularly. Our days were filled with trips to places we were delighted to see --- archaeological sites, churches, plazas neighborhoods, local markets, etc. We were definitely immersed in the local culture and we truly enjoyed it.

We thought we were going to be part of a small tour, but much to our suprise and delight, we were provided with our own special and private guide at every city. We felt like royalty!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel B Urban Xaman
Cuauhtémoc, Centro, Mexico City

We loved spending time in the roofop lounge where we had a panoramic view of the lights of the city. The layout of the hotel was quite impressive and we appreciated the open plan, the use of furnishings that appear to highight the local products. They even had a welcoming seating area in front of each elevator. in our room, we were provided our choice of beverages (tea, coffee) and beautiful teapots, mugs. We were surprised with what appear to be a yoga or prayer mat. How thoughtful! The restaurant had wall to wall windows that allowed natural light. We went for breakfast, and liked the various assortment to choose from --- however, we weren't as excited with the flavors of the foods offered there as we were with the food we tasted at the rooftop lounge. Who knew that bar food would be better than the restaurant's?

Authenticity & Character
Open plan, makes it feel so large and spacious. Love the rooftop lounge with panoramic views. Also liked the way it was furnished --- gave us a sense of the native and culture-inspired furnishings.
Location
Great location --- easy to walk around, was right across a large park, easy access to public transportation.
Staff
They were responsive and attentive enough...but they could use people with more proficiency in English which is an international language spoken by most travelers from different countries.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Exceptiionally clean.
Casona de los Sapos Hotel Boutique
Puebla

This was absolutely our favorite hotel of all! From the moment we walked in, seeing the multi-story open courtyard, we knew we were in for a treat. So beautiful and almost magical. We just had to take pictures of the atrium. Every level of the hotel was thoughtfully designed --- they retained the original stonework, and carefully augmented what was there. They had sitting areas in every nook, and each one was comfortable and beautiful and provided certain amount of privacy, Every single guest we noticed who just checked in seemed to have the same impression and started taking pictures. Who wouldn't be? It's a stunning boutique hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Loved all the architectural details. They kept the original stonework. Our suite was stunning. Every thing was a beautiful. We were amazed at the quality of the furnishings --- nothing cheap here.
Location
Great location next to a plaza, very walkable to restaurants, shops, etc.
Staff
Everyone was so friendly and helpful. We especially loved our server during dinner, Indira. She was delightful to speak with.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Goodness, if only every single hotel was like this! We even observed someone painstakingly cleaning a lamp.
Activity Reviews
Discover the flavors and colors of the exotic San Juan Market
Discover the flavors and colors of the exotic San Juan Market
Mexico City

We liked going through this experience with our guide Adrian who turned out to be a well-traveled chef with a lot of experience. We loved that he provided a very detailed commetary on every place we visited, every thing we tasted.

Quality of Experience
We liked the diversity of our experience --- street food, market food, restaurant dining.
Food
It's a matter of personal taste......I'm sure the food is great for some people. I was prepared to like the food, but I wasn't fond of Mexican food before, and can't say I'm fond of it now.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We didn't drive anywhere this time, but we did walk around a lot. This may be challenging for people with mobility problems. Walking around can be challenging because the pavements are so uneven and there are lots of unexpected things jutting out (my partner fell because of one such thing).
Visit to the National Museum of Anthropology
Visit to the National Museum of Anthropology
Mexico City

This was probably our favorite of all the things we did during this tour. We were so amazed at the beauty and quality of the museum. Simply fantastic at how every single artifact was presented. This truly stoked our interest in the history of Mexico and we are so happy to be introduced this way. One day isn't enough, but our guide was smart to point out the things that should matter to people who are interested in the history and culture of this country.

Quality of Experience
We were especially mesmerized by the sectiion that showed the pyramids that were already unearthed. We were glad to have been introduced to this first before actually visiting the pyramids themselves.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Of all our guides, Paola was our favorite. We sensed how much she loved what she does, and how excited she gets pointing out certain things we should know. We delighted in her sense of humor and how dedicated she in in what she does. Her happiness and pride in her country are so obvious, and we were happy to see that
Transport
Paola was also our driver, and she narrated as she drove through the city. That was a plus.
Visit the Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Castle
Visit the Museum of Anthropology and Chapultepec Castle
Mexico City

We were thrilled to visit this place, and to know its history. So many fascinating facts, and such spectacular views.

Quality of Experience
The hall with were incredible stained glass windows. Beautiful artwork!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Paola was an incredible guide --- so knowledgeable, so pleasant, so nice to be with!
Transport
Paola used her personal car which was comfortable, to take us around
Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Puebla
Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Puebla
Mexico

We didn't ride bikes, and I wouldn't recommend that to elderly or physically-challenged guests. So we chose to be transported in the car. We were thrilled to actually visit the pyramids, and even walked up to certain areas although the steps could be challenging. Just knowing the existence of such pyramids was a treat in itself, especially being told that there are more pyramids, but they haven't been excavated yet. Rather bothered that many of the murals are uncovered and not protected from the elements. As such they are deteriorating and may disappear someday.

Quality of Experience
Wish we saw evidence that the murals are being protected for future generations.
Food
We were taken to a restaurant where all tourist vans/buses converged. Although our server was pleasant enough, we were served what everyone else got. I saw food served to other customers that I wish we could have ordered, but it wasn't offered to us.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was knowledgeable and chose the right places to visit, but he lacked a certain spark to his personality, as if he's just going through the motions, and is not that engaged with his audience.
Transport
We like having a private driver, but not so thrilled that his English is so limited. We couldn't converse with him until our guiide joined us.
Walk in a Cactus Forest: Tehuacán-Cuicuitlan Biosphere Reserve
Walk in a Cactus Forest: Tehuacán-Cuicuitlan Biosphere Reserve
Mexico

This was a total bust.... Our original driver was in an accident so they sent a substitute driver who barely spoke English. We were driven to where we were supposed to go the Biosphere, but no one spoke Engligh, and no one seemed to know anything about it, or what to do. What was hysterical is that there was a young man who had Receptionist embroidered on his jacket, and who was standing right in front of a huge billboard promoting Biosfera, but he was clueless about it!. There was not a single English-speaking person or guide who can tell us anything!

Quality of Experience
Can't think of anything other than having people who know what and where Biosphhere is, and can speak Engligh.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our poor driver was trying...but we lost internet signal and we couldn't utilize our translator app to communicate, and he had to rely on pure instinct to get around
Transport
Good enough transportation, but we're wondering if a 4-wheeled vehicle might have been better in those conditions.
Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Mexico

We enjoyed going to the market ---- but we had gone to a market before in Mexico City and didn't really want to go to another market. This activity could have been taken off our itinerary The place where the proprietor showed us various types of corn, how to grind it, and how to make tortilla was an interesting experience. We liked that we were invited to try our hand in this, and then to eat there.

Quality of Experience
We were surprised that our tour ended at 1 pm and we were left to fend for ourselves for the rest of the day. Seems like there is so much more we could have done, or have been shown in this Cholula and Puebla. Rather disappointed there wasn't anything else planned for us. Maybe a short drive around to see the city and point out highlights should have been added to the day.
Food
This is a mixed bag for us. After the corn tour, we would have appreciated being taken to a local restaurant where we could have experienced other types of Mexican foods other than tortillas. So we were happy that our hotel has a fabulous restaurant that offered a tasting 5-course meal with wine pairing. Otherwise, our whole dining experience would have been a total bust.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We llked Maria, a teacher who excelled at what she taught us during the very short tour. She was the highlight of our day.
Transport
We were happy to have our private driver and tour guide.
Oaxaca's Hidden Gems: Discover Mitla, Hierve el Agua, Teotitlán & Mezcal!
Oaxaca's Hidden Gems: Discover Mitla, Hierve el Agua, Teotitlán & Mezcal!
Oaxaca

We absolutely loved seeing this old and huge tree, and were happy to walk around the plaza. Our highest praise is reserved for the archaeological sites. Our guide Alex was thoroughly knowledgeable and his commentary interspersed historical facts with folklore that made them so much more interesting. We were wowed by our visit to the petrified waterfalls and the pools, and driving up the mountains so that we can appreciare the countryside. Of course, the visit to the mescal distillery was a revelation. We chose to eat while we were doing the mescal tasting where our young guide was such a credible expert that he made the experience so wonderful.

Quality of Experience
The archaeological site was an eye-opener. The distillery was quite enjoyable, but we would recommend getting something to eat while tasting. It makes the experience complete. Be brave and try the fried grasshoppers --- like eating popcorn. Hard to stop munching!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alex was an incredible guide. Loved that he provided so much background regarding the historical figures who made an impact on the people and the country. He pointed out so many things that it whetted our appetite to learn more about the history of Mexico.
Transport
Alex was our personal guide and driver, and he spoke fluent English. He was constantly pointing out things as we drove, and walked. Never a break in his commemtary
Gastronomy and culture on the streets of Oaxaca
Gastronomy and culture on the streets of Oaxaca
Oaxaca

Loved walking around the neighborhoods, seeing the colorful murals, street decorations. It was fascinating to walk through the historic district and seeing the architectural details on the buildings. Glad that these re preserved for future generations to enjoy. Loved visiting the churches, one of which was such an incredible thing of beauty inside and out, and trumps all others. It was breathtaingly beautiful. Also enjoyed tasting street foods. We also liked that we stoppef to eat ice cream in such a colorful place in the plaza. What a special treat! However, after having gone to the markets in Mexico City and Cholula, we could have skipped going to another in Oaxaca :)

Quality of Experience
We saw so much. The variety of experience, the diversity in everything we saw, did, tasted.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alex. was the ultimate guide and driver. So knowledgeable, experience, conversational. Couldn't have asked for anyone better!
Transport
Having our personal driver and guide was an amazing plus!
Local specialist: Karen Quintero

Highly recommend Kimkim to help plan your next adventure!
Mexico | Feb 3 - Feb 11, 2023

Martha
Martha H.
Boone, NC | Reviewed on Feb 18, 2023
Leslie was awesome at planning our trip. She took all my requests into consideration and was patient when I wanted to change some things at the last minute. The hotel choices were excellent, well located, safe and clean. Ximena and Melia took great care of us while we were in Mexico. They were easily available via text when I had questions. They were in touch with our transport and local tours guides all the time, so well that they could give us 5 minutes notice. As in "your transport... Read more

Leslie was awesome at planning our trip. She took all my requests into consideration and was patient when I wanted to change some things at the last minute. The hotel choices were excellent, well located, safe and clean. Ximena and Melia took great care of us while we were in Mexico. They were easily available via text when I had questions. They were in touch with our transport and local tours guides all the time, so well that they could give us 5 minutes notice. As in "your transport will arrive in 5 minutes", and they were always right! The tour guides they organized for the ruins, bike tours, etc were all top quality. All transports were safe and efficient. I would highly recommend using Kimkim to plan your next adventure.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Catedral
Mexico City

Excellent staff. Clean rooms. Great location. Yummy breakfast. They even packed us a fruit salad for our departure day when we left earlier than the buffet breakfast opened. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Pepe Puebla
Puebla

Great location for walking around Puebla. Such a cute street that a car commercial was being filmed there one day! Good breakfast, cute vibe. Very clean. The upstairs area has some spacious seating areas with nice rugs that I was able to use to get my workouts in each day. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Location
so convenient to walking around Puebla
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Niyana Biocultural Hotel

Very cute hotel focused on sustainability and being kind to our planet. Plants everywhere, a small pond with swinging seats around it was so peaceful. Roof top terrace was a quiet space to hang out and I was able to use it to get my workouts in each day. Don't be scared of the dry toilets, they really do work! Even my mom and me, age 80 and 50, had no problems-I guess you can teach old dogs new tricks. There a kitchen open for use. Make your own coffee etc. The staff were super helpful. They called us taxis when needed, even to pick us up at a restaurant and bring us back to the hotel. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Learn how to prepare delicious traditional food
Learn how to prepare delicious traditional food
Mexico City

This was described in my itinerary as a "gastronomic experience". I didn't really know what that meant, but I like food, so I figured it would be good. It is actually a cooking class where your group can be interactive in helping prepare the meal. The chef was great and the food turned out delicious! He is also the owner of the coffee shop next door and gave a some tastings, history and education about Mexican coffee. He is so proud of Mexico and it made our experience really great.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lucha libre experience & mezcal tasting
Lucha libre experience & mezcal tasting
Mexico City

Our guide was great! He used to be a Lucha Libre wrestler and knows so much about the sport. He made our walk fun and engaging. I wasn't too sure about this one because I am not that into wrestling, but after reading a few reviews, I decided it sounded pretty fun. It was so fun and funny and great. Our group was small, 7 people, and we all had fun together wandering the neighborhood, tasting the mezcal, and cheering for the wrestlers. This is a great tour; you should go even if you think you don't want to!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Mexico

Our guide was amazing! Born in Mexico, lived in Chicago, moved back to Mexico. Thus excellent English and Spanish. She adapted to our pace very well. Was very kind to all the vendors in the market. Showed us foods we had never tried before and really like. Explained how the market works, how to purchase, how to turn it into a meal. We also went to a restaurant that uses the local corn to make all their dishes and drinks. We tried our hand at making tortillas and tried some of their ice cream. It was a fun day. Our driver was also amazing. He kept in touch with us via text to make sure we had everything we needed. He was super kind and gave us a safe ride and was fun and chatty along the way.

Quality of Experience
Food
Pineapple tamales! Who knew there was a dessert version of tamales?
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.
Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.
Oaxaca

Our guide for Monte Alban was excellent. Very knowledgeable about he history of the inhabitants. Carefully explained some complicated astronomy. Was super kind and helpful. Our driver was also awesome. We had a great bufffet lunch with so many food options. The experiences at the pottery place and the artistic painted animal place were not super salesy which I liked. We were able to see the wares, learn about the process, but then weren't pressured to buy anything. The people were helpful with our purchases, don't get me wrong, but they managed to do that without being annoying. I like that much better than the higher pressure sales tactics you get some places. Both locations packed up people's souvenirs very carefully so they could travel.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Leslie Pérez

Wonderful experience due to competent guides, excellent lodging and delicious food....
Mexico | Feb 1 - Feb 7, 2023

Earl
Earl W.
Haslett, MI | Reviewed on Feb 09, 2023
I found it confusing before the trip commenced because you had my name mixed up with Earl our trip organizer. I did not get all of the emails and had trouble paying the balance of my trip. I did look me the organization of the actual trip. The hotels, transportation , food and guides were first rate. Was surprised, however, when the bicycling was suddenly dropped and switched out for a cave and a palace without explanation.
I am not certain who decided to suggest a week containing a three...
Read more

I found it confusing before the trip commenced because you had my name mixed up with Earl our trip organizer. I did not get all of the emails and had trouble paying the balance of my trip.

I did look me the organization of the actual trip. The hotels, transportation , food and guides were first rate. Was surprised, however, when the bicycling was suddenly dropped and switched out for a cave and a palace without explanation.
I am not certain who decided to suggest a week containing a three day weekend national holiday . The first day at the butterfly refuge (Sunday) was totally overrun. Luckily we had added a second day at another refuge which was MUCH less crowded and saved the experience.

Local specialist: Leslie Pérez

The end result from kimkim was outstanding. ...
Mexico | Feb 1 - Feb 7, 2023

Earl
Earl W.
Haslett, MI | Reviewed on Feb 08, 2023
The end result from kimkim was outstanding. Only glip was all the email confusion for payment etc, as we had 3 couples and 3 individuals, which was confusing on every end. But in the end...we received everything as promised and more. Thank you for being flexible with the number of rooms needed, etc. The Hotels in Mexico City were exceptional. Our driver, Guillermo, was extremely exceptional. We paid for his room, so he could stay with of nearby the monarchs, as he was our translator and... Read more

The end result from kimkim was outstanding. Only glip was all the email confusion for payment etc, as we had 3 couples and 3 individuals, which was confusing on every end. But in the end...we received everything as promised and more. Thank you for being flexible with the number of rooms needed, etc. The Hotels in Mexico City were exceptional. Our driver, Guillermo, was extremely exceptional. We paid for his room, so he could stay with of nearby the monarchs, as he was our translator and expert in all things local. Worth every peso. Our guide, Jesus, was wonderful with exceptional English. Visiting the Monarch Sanctuary in the early morning was the perfect decision. We beat the crowds, making it a wonderful, quiet experience. I will recommend Leslie and Ximena.

Hotel Reviews
Zócalo Central
Mexico City

Exceptional in value and service.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rancho Cumbre Monarca

We loved its authenticity, staff and character. Only drawback, was not knowing in advance they do not take credit cards. This was a problem when we all needed to pay our room bills for dinners, drinks etc. I would advise visitors to BRING CASH.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Santa Josefita Bed & Breakfast
Cholula

Wonderful staff, setting and rooms. Thank you.

Authenticity & Character
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Cholula
Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Cholula
Mexico

We did not do the biking. It, strangely, never was offered. However, we got a wonderful guide and tour and was a great day. Teotihuacan is amazing and a must for anyone visiting Mexico.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit a Monarch Butterflies Reserve
Visit a Monarch Butterflies Reserve
Mexico

The best. The best because we arrived at park opening, and nearly the first ones up the mountain, via horse. It was a quiet, almost5 spiritual experience. I am sure it was not later in the day as more holiday tourists arrived. I highly recommend Jesus the guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Leslie Pérez

Oaxaca and Puebla
Mexico | Jan 5 - Jan 16, 2023

R
Roxana Y.
Atascadero, CA | Reviewed on Jan 31, 2023
Guide in Oaxaca was knowledgeable.
In Oaxaca, the hotel was not in good condition, no amenities and a bit run down.
Service was basic, breakfast was included and not great.
We got 6 nights in nice, outstanding hotels - we paid for 5 star hotels, the one in Oaxaca was NOT.
During the trip we contacted Ximena a day in advance to have our dinner reservations (included in the tour) changed to a later time. She was inflexible and had to rush to get to the restaurant. Upon arrival the... Read more

Guide in Oaxaca was knowledgeable.
In Oaxaca, the hotel was not in good condition, no amenities and a bit run down.
Service was basic, breakfast was included and not great.
We got 6 nights in nice, outstanding hotels - we paid for 5 star hotels, the one in Oaxaca was NOT.

During the trip we contacted Ximena a day in advance to have our dinner reservations (included in the tour) changed to a later time. She was inflexible and had to rush to get to the restaurant. Upon arrival the restaurant was full and were seated in a service area, not a place to enjoy a meal.
TOTALLY disappointed with the tour planner after the trip began and after payment was received.

Arriving to our hotel in Puebla we were told that the reservation had not been paid by the tour operator. It took hours before this was sorted and we were a room.

Hotel Reviews
Mondrian Mexico City Condesa
Mexico City

New hotel and great service

Authenticity & Character
new luxury hotel
Location
easy walking area to restaurants
Staff
very helpful and service oriented
Cleanliness & Comfort
tidy and clean - new feel
La Catrina de Alcalá

basic service towels were worn out and had to keep asking for soap and towels. not modern, mold around the shower.

Authenticity & Character
Location
within the historic center
Staff
need to be more attentive. basic service
Cleanliness & Comfort
need to clean the shower and bathroom, black mold visible bed was comfortable
Quinta Real Puebla

good place and great location. enjoy the historic building

Authenticity & Character
previous a convent. well appointed rooms
Location
in historic center, walking distance to most places I wanted to visit.
Staff
very attentive and willing to help
Cleanliness & Comfort
comfy and spacious room.
Activity Reviews
Walk through Oaxaca's colourful streets
Walk through Oaxaca's colourful streets
Oaxaca

Guide is knowledgeable of the area. Enjoyable walking tour around the city, highlighted with history and local information.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
our guide double as our driver. he was knowledgeable, answered many questions.
Transport
comfortable car
Gastronomic Indigenous Roots
Gastronomic Indigenous Roots
Oaxaca

did not stay. restaurant did not have a dining area appropriate to enjoy a meal. table was dirty, one chair for a party of two. area was facing the garbage cans. we were refused to be seated in a nicer, cleaner area. also did not cooperate in changing our dining scheduled for a later time when better and appropriate seating would be available. restaurant is not a conducive to enjoy and appreciate a good meal.

Quality of Experience
customer service needs to be improved 100% very negative experience. DO NOT GO!
Monte Albán and the alebrijes workshop: an unforgettable experience
Monte Albán and the alebrijes workshop: an unforgettable experience
Oaxaca

Monte Alban a lot of walking and enjoy learning the history of the area. Great time painting our own Alebrije and lots of enjoyment to meet the family that owns the "taller" Lunch was basic and very local cuisine --- chapulines tacos (40 percent protein, 43 percent fat, and 13 percent dietary fiber)

Quality of Experience
history and local chapulines
Guides, Drivers and Staff
excellent guide, provided excellent explanation and is knowledgeable of the area as well as the local customs
Transport
comfortable
Experience the culture of Oaxaca: discover textile art, ceramics and mezcal
Experience the culture of Oaxaca: discover textile art, ceramics and mezcal
Oaxaca

1st day of our tour we covered a lot . Interesting to experience the Barro Rojo and Textile family business. Mezcal place was not too interesting. It was just a lunch stop and the basic mezcal tasting.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
informative
Transport
comfortable ride
Gastronomic tour in Puebla
Gastronomic tour in Puebla
Puebla

Great variety of delicious food around Puebla. Incredible tour of the market tasting everything as we walked. La Calle de Dulces was amazing and Maria provided the history of the area.

Quality of Experience
lots of food!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Maria gave extensive explanation on everywhere we went
Transport
we walked and experienced all kinds of flavors.
Local specialist: Rene Rodarte
Rene
Rene Rodarte
Local specialist in Mexico city | Replied on Feb 28, 2023
Hello Roxana,
Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review since all comments allow us to improve.
It is unfortunate that the hotel in Oaxaca was not up to your liking, at no moment did your travel partner requested that you expected 5 star hotels at all locations, on the contrary she requested boutique and central. The information on these was shared in advance and validated by her, in the future we will make sure every traveller is much more aware of what is offered. As it... Read more

Hello Roxana,
Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review since all comments allow us to improve.

It is unfortunate that the hotel in Oaxaca was not up to your liking, at no moment did your travel partner requested that you expected 5 star hotels at all locations, on the contrary she requested boutique and central. The information on these was shared in advance and validated by her, in the future we will make sure every traveller is much more aware of what is offered.

As it was mentioned to you over the whatsapp conversation, the reservation was very last minute and we were quite lucky to find availability for the restaurant dinner. The request to change this was done in under 12 hours of arrival and at a time neither the support team nor the restaurant was working which made it impossible for us to do the amendment you requested, for future travellers we will inform in advance there is a time limit to amend these reservations.

According to the hotel in Puebla, they mixed up the paperwork about your booking and you had to wait for 20 minutes before they showed to your room. We will ask them to be more careful since this is very concerning.

Again, we appreciate your feedback and we will use your comments to improve.
Rene

The trip was wonderful. Oaxaca was a place we...
Mexico | Jan 15 - Jan 25, 2023

Carol
Carol G.
East Naples, FL | Reviewed on Jan 31, 2023
The trip was wonderful. Oaxaca was a place we’ve been trying to visit for several years. The tour was well laid had very few hiccups. The hotels were great, the guides were very informative, and the food was outstanding. There was lots of diversity of tours, so it covered all the bases. The company did a good job with follow up and being flexible on starting times, etc.. A few minor things that could be improved. Number one -we did not have a return flight to Oaxaca from Huatulco so we... Read more

The trip was wonderful. Oaxaca was a place we’ve been trying to visit for several years. The tour was well laid had very few hiccups. The hotels were great, the guides were very informative, and the food was outstanding. There was lots of diversity of tours, so it covered all the bases. The company did a good job with follow up and being flexible on starting times, etc..

A few minor things that could be improved. Number one -we did not have a return flight to Oaxaca from Huatulco so we had to book that separately and we were surprise the tour company did not pick up on this. Fortunately, we discovered it a month before the trip and were able to get the tickets . Our guide Margaux was our favorite, but Alejandro and Perfecto were also great guides and we feel like we really saw the various aspects of Oaxaca, and Huatulco.
I would suggest they eliminate small group tours as those days did not go off as well as private guided trips, and we would’ve preferred to continue with a private guide. One day we were stuck with a guide and a group they did not speak English and that was very disappointing, but they reimbursed us for this tour. In hindsight with 10 days of touring, it would’ve been better to just stick with private guides or at least allow that option. Overall , I thought the company did a good job and was very responsive to text. I would definitely recommend them to get a in-depth feel for the region. Thanks for making our anniversary special.

Hotel Reviews
Los Pilares
Oaxaca

We love the location, though it was a bit of a walk to the central area. The staff were amazingly wonderful and friendly. The room was off the courtyard, but very dark. Also, we were below the kitchen, so the noise of furniture moving was very loud at night, but died down at around 10 o’clock. There were not many restaurants around except Le Bice Probre that served local cuisine but we walked to town a lot and found great restaurants. The pillows are way too big, so we use towels as our pillows. My only complaint besides the pillows was breakfast. It was delicious but service was supposed to begin at 7:30 yet that was merely a suggestion. We would get there at 7:30 but we couldn’t get coffee till 7:45 and therefore could not make a tour at 8 o’clock. Fortunately, we figured this out on day two and were able to pre-order our breakfast on a day. We had an 8 o’clock start. It does seem with such a beautiful, quaint hotel as this that they could have a coffee station or place you could get coffee prior to 7:30 do in the morning. Other than that we love this place.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Neighborhood
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Quinta Bella
Oaxaca

It’s great that such a small hotel has six restaurants to choose from and all of them are good. We generally are not resort people, but this hotel was very nice and comfortable. The grocery store .4 miles away was a wonderful bonus because the wine at the hotel wasn’t that great and was very pricey. Staff are friendly and it was an easy walk to town. We are not resort people so we took day tours and enjoyed the birding and hiking. The water was cold as it was January so we did not do much swimming.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Gastronomic Indigenous Roots
Gastronomic Indigenous Roots
Oaxaca

A great way to start a trip and experience the different cuisines of the region. We were lucky the restaurant was not open the night we went, and we were the only guests because they treated us so well. It was nice to meet Chef and our server was excellent.

Quality of Experience
Food
Walk through Oaxaca's colourful streets
Walk through Oaxaca's colourful streets
Oaxaca

It was a great tour, and we learned a lot about the city and the various landmarks. My only suggestion would be to reverse this tour to do it in the afternoon, so that we could’ve visited a museum. Unfortunately, the museums are only open until three and our tour schedule did not allow us to visit any of them.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Mitla, the Tule Tree, a Mezcal Distillery & Teotitlán del Valle
Visit Mitla, the Tule Tree, a Mezcal Distillery & Teotitlán del Valle
Oaxaca

It was a perfectly planned day, and very well orchestrated. Each of the stops was great timing and full of information. It was nice to get out of the city and see some of the surrounding areas.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rural cooking workshop in Oaxaca
Rural cooking workshop in Oaxaca
Oaxaca

We’ve been to several cooking classes all around the world and this was so much fun. Dalia and her daughter Laura are excellent at explaining things despite a language barrier, and it was fun to go shopping before preparing the meal. We learned a lot and enjoyed the fruits of our labor. Most of all we enjoyed meeting Dalia and working with her.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.
Explore the history and crafts of Oaxaca through Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec.
Oaxaca

Our guide was long on explanation, but short on facts, so it made the tour of Monte Alban de tedious. Also, there was intense sun, and most people did not bring enough water, so it was a little bit uncomfortable to stand for hours, rather than sit in the shade, while he gave explanations. The rest of the days tour was very disjointed because we didn’t know we were having lunch and we had eaten snacks. In the workshops felt more geared toward shopping rather than details on the method of the art. In hindsight, I would’ve skipped the second half and just gone to town to shop.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ditch the mask! If people want to wear them that’s fine let them do what they want to do but don’t force everyone to wear a mask and then disregard those who do not put one on. I get that it might be a local regulation but it’s way over done
Walk through the enchanted forest of  Ixtepeji
Walk through the enchanted forest of Ixtepeji
Oaxaca

One of our favorite days because we were able to walk in the mountains that were so beautiful. We saw lots of birds and enjoyed the company of Margaux who is our guide. The lunch of trout was spectacular and the views and quiet of the area. We were just unexpected, but pleasantly surprised that this was such a fun day. The altitude did not seem to bother us as much as we thought it would so it was just a real treat.

Quality of Experience
Food
The trout and local cuisine
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Wild Huatulco
Explore Wild Huatulco
Mexico

Another fabulous day of walking, birding, and boating to see the bays of the area. The water is too cold for us to swim, which is unfortunate, because it was glass, calm and clear but the boating was still fantastic. Perfecto was a great guide along with the boat captain. We got to see whales and so much nature.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Get to know the Copalitilla waterfalls in Huatulco
Get to know the Copalitilla waterfalls in Huatulco
Santa María Huatulco

This trip was our least favorite. For one thing it was moved from 9 o’clock to 10:30 AM and we had hope that meant we would shorten the trip instead of extend the evening. Our driver spoke no English even though we were promised one and the rest the group – five – also did not speak English so we were unable to learn anything about the environment or local culture. We stopped at an organic shop and that had an English-speaking Guide which was wonderful. When we got to the waterfalls we had no idea how much time we had before lunch so we rushed through twice and our guy did not tell us that lunch would not be served until 4:15 PM. We left around 5:30pm and didn’t get back to the city until 6:40pm which made us miss our dinner reservation. Overall, it was a waste of a vacation day, but the falls were pretty. We would’ve enjoyed the more and we known we were going to have two hours to see them. When I reached out to complain to the Tours operator that ours was supposed to be an English at first, he was rather brash. However, he has, since agreed to reimburse us for this tour, and that is only fair as we lost a day of vacation

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Karen Quintero

Yucatan Roadtrip and City Tour
Mexico | Jan 14 - Jan 22, 2023

A
Abdel S.
Tampa, FL | Reviewed on Jan 25, 2023
This trip was a memorable trip to Mexico starting with a quick tour of Mexico City and then visiting Tiotihuacan the following day. I then flew to Chetumal to visit the Calakmul ruins. My guide through the rest of the trip was Manuel. He was very knowledgeable of every site we visited which provided a better understanding of the history of the area. It was also reassuring to have someone with you at all times who knew how to get around and fond whatever you may need along the way. I would... Read more

This trip was a memorable trip to Mexico starting with a quick tour of Mexico City and then visiting Tiotihuacan the following day. I then flew to Chetumal to visit the Calakmul ruins. My guide through the rest of the trip was Manuel. He was very knowledgeable of every site we visited which provided a better understanding of the history of the area. It was also reassuring to have someone with you at all times who knew how to get around and fond whatever you may need along the way. I would recommend a guide like Manuel to anyone who would want to tour the Yucatan peninsula. The rest of the team including Leslie and Ximena were helpful in organizing the entire trip from beginning to end to make the entire experience seamless and easy. I definitely recommend this team to help organize a tour through Mexico and am already looking forward to my next visit.

Hotel Review
Casa Kaan
Campeche

This ws definitely the most memorable of all the hotels i stayed in during my trip to Mexico. Its more like a campground than hotel and is close to Calakmul, which provides convenience in a remote area.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Leslie Pérez

Mexico is great. Never again Rutopia.
Mexico | Dec 28 - Jan 18, 2023

Emilia
Emilia L.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jan 21, 2023
We spent three weeks in Mexico on a trip organised for us by Rutopia. Mexico was astonishing, beautiful, interesting, fun and we cannot wait to return. But we will not be doing so with Rutopia. We were put in contact with Rutopia via the site Kim Kim, which is an independent travel website putting users in touch with country experts… ostensibly. I’d used Kim Kim before and had been happy with the resulting trip. Not this time. Rutopia seemed great before setting out. They were friendly and... Read more

We spent three weeks in Mexico on a trip organised for us by Rutopia. Mexico was astonishing, beautiful, interesting, fun and we cannot wait to return. But we will not be doing so with Rutopia. We were put in contact with Rutopia via the site Kim Kim, which is an independent travel website putting users in touch with country experts… ostensibly. I’d used Kim Kim before and had been happy with the resulting trip. Not this time.

Rutopia seemed great before setting out. They were friendly and efficient in their communication and their detailed itinerary also seemed fine. Their local contact – via WhatsApp was helpful, friendly and responded quickly. But the sheer number of providers they subcontract to and the subcontractors in-turn subcontracting to others make for a supply chain of chaos. And we start to see things change a day or two before we depart.

First, Rutopia was unable to book us tickets to the Frieda Khalo museum (this was part of the detailed itinerary we paid for). They blamed the large visiting New Year’s Eve crowds buying up all the tickets. I thought it was odd because we had planned the trip with them months before, so if Rutopia – as local experts – would expect crowds, they’d be able to jump on the tickets right away. Or Rutopia would have alerted me to this possibility so I could’ve made sure to be on the alert as soon as the tickets went on sale. Rutopia proposed a virtual reality Khalo experience instead, but we weren’t interested. I opted instead for a free day in CDMX. Did Rutopia offer a refund for that day? No. And I thought it was odd, but I didn’t ask for one. The reason: at our request, Rutopia got us an upgraded room in the hotel they had booked for us. We requested the upgrade because our original room had a paper-thin connecting door to the next room and we could hear our next-door neighbours clearly as if they were in the room with us. Five days of that was a non-starter. So, considering the upgrade, I didn’t ask for a refund for that day. We had a lovely time on our own and visiting Teotihuacan as per our itinerary.

Second, we depart CDMX and our flight arrival time was not listed properly on our itinerary. That didn’t affect us, but the transfer driver had been told an even earlier time and had been waiting for us for something like three hours. We thought it was odd, but again, didn’t suspect what was about to happen.

Third, our departure from San Cristobal was scheduled for 3am via a private transfer. This was clearly stated in our detailed trip itinerary Rutopia drafted for us and which we agreed before paying them a five-figure sum for our trip. We would then stop en-route to visit two waterfall areas.

At 3am on the designated day, a large, multi-person van pulls up. The driver is cross seeing our luggage and says he would’ve sent a different vehicle if he knew we had luggage. We thought this was odd. It wasn’t a lot of luggage for two people travelling for three weeks: a weekend-sized rollaboard, a large duffel bag (these were the two largest pieces), two small rucksacks/daypacks, a small camera bag and a small handbag. This attitude and the type of vehicle prompted me to ask if we would be the only persons. The driver said no. He needed to pick up more people between 3am and 5am. We were merely the first stop.

We were stunned. I explained, in my basic Spanish, we had paid for a private transfer. The driver calls his boss (not Rutopia – each driver we’ve had so far and would have for the trip is from a different company – supply chain hell as I previously mentioned) and the boss tells him he doesn’t know what’s going on. The driver asks us for a confirmation voucher. We never received any vouchers from Rutopia and no one until then had asked us for any. It’s the digital age after all, and we had our detailed itinerary, which I showed the driver. The driver is now visibly annoyed with us and asks us what we want to do. It’s after 3am, we’ve checked out of our hotel and we are trapped. So of course we say we will stay on the bus and make the several hour journey like this. But this wasn’t satisfactory to the driver! He drives us back to the hotel and dumps us there. In Spanish he says to the passenger in the seat next to him that he’s washing his hands of us. My spoken Spanish isn’t good, but my understanding of it is excellent. I hear this clearly.

We’re now back at the hotel. I’ve messaged Rutopia, called them and nothing – obviously, it’s almost 4am. I next call the transfer company and I speak to who I believe is the driver’s boss. That person tells me there’s no private transfer for that day and if I want the same driver to return. Of course I say yes to have him return. That’s what we had said to the driver originally. We had no choice!

When the van arrives back at our hotel, it’s full of passengers and there’s no room for our luggage. We spend the next six hours jammed with most of our luggage on our laps, in seats not next to each other, on the tortuous roads of Chiapas. Because we had believed we had a private transfer, we had left our bathing suits (for the waterfall stops) in our luggage as we believed we would have easy access to them. The reality was our luggage was piled with others’ and things had to be moved just for all the passengers to be able to get out of the van. We were utterly unprepared for the hell trip this was and were extremely disappointed we couldn’t go swimming. Of course the sights were beautiful, but they were marred by the utter discomfort of the trip. Had we paid for this type of transfer and had a backpacker trip in mind, then fine. But that’s not what we paid five figures for.

Our itinerary also detailed a sunset visit to the ruins of Palenque as the final activity for that day. Did that happen? Nope. We were dropped off at our hotel around 12.30 or so. Check-in wasn’t until 3pm, but were able to get into our rooms a little earlier.

When the Rutopia in-country representative came back on line I requested a refund. The in-country representative said the transfer was meant to be shared and didn’t know why her colleagues had written private. We were shocked by this. I pointed to the detailed itinerary showing clearly the transfer was private. The itinerary is the contract we agreed to with Rutopia and they couldn’t change significant things and just say oops. I asked about the sunset tour of the ruins and nothing. That didn’t exist either. So we had had a hell trip from 3am for nothing.

I asked for a refund of that day. Reluctantly, Rutopia agreed and said it would be in my account a few days later. It’s now weeks later and it’s not there.

After this incident, there were others. For example, one driver was told to pick us up at 8am, but our itinerary says 9am and that’s confirmed the day before by the in-country representative. During the day, we discover he had been waiting for us from 7.30am. And no wonder he was sullen when we stroll up at 9am with no apology. Both of us had been under different instructions.

Another example, I had mentioned several times in the discussions with Rutopia we are vegan. And where do we go for one of our activities – a crocodile farm. The activity listed was for a boat trip, but it didn’t list we would be going to a crocodile farm, which we would have refused. The boat trip itself was nice, but the nature of it was totally different on the detailed itinerary. And that happened a lot. Things would be described in one way on the itinerary, but would be quite different in reality. It was as if Rutopia hadn’t updated themselves on what was actually happening on the ground.

Our breakfasts were included, but only one hotel during the entire three weeks seemed to have gotten the message we are vegan. And kudos to them. The irony was there were even vegan hotels in many of the places we stayed, but Rutopia didn’t suggest them to us. And as this was not a trip I planned, I didn’t do all the research. After all, I believed I was paying for someone to do that.

This disconnect between paper and relity was reflected in some of the hotels. In particular, the hotel in Punta Morelos. Ostensibly a three-star hotel given the three stars on its façade. In reality, a mouldy, 1980s nylon curtained, tired two stars at best. Again, if that’s the trip we had paid for, then ok. But at the five figures we spent, then no. Not acceptable.

Rutopia is disorganised. They have to make their margins wherever they can and so do their subcontractors. At the end of this stick is the driver and the traveller. And the poor in-country representative who has to hear the traveller’s complaints. So, never again Rutopia.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel El Moro
Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo

This is a two star hotel at best. Mouldy, badly in need of an update, motel style nylon curtains and a common area which could be the site of a crime show. Avoid

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
everything
Guayaba Inn
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas

Lovely place, spacious room, beautiful gardens. No vegan food available.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Punto Mx
Mexico City

Do not get a room with a connecting door. The connecting doors are paper thin and you'll be able to hear next door as if they were right in the room with you. However, the location is great. And the upgraded room we eventually got was terrific. No vegan food.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel La Aldea del Halach Huinic
Palenque

The rooms are bleak and need an update. But they're clean and the bed is comfortable. The location is great though with lots of wildlife and trees. The restaurant was pretty good too. They had vegan food.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Don Gustavo
Campeche

This was the best hotel of our trip. They were the only ones who actually had gotten the message of our dietary requirements and prepared accordingly. The location is perfect. The rooms and the entire property are gorgeous.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Lucia Hotel Boutique
Mérida, Yucatán

Location was good. But the rooms were tired and noisy. Clean though.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Le Muuch
Valladolid, Yucatán

Small room with nowhere to put luggage other than in a corner on the floor. But nice property. Impossibly slow breakfast service. Thirty minutes just for a cup of coffee, which was all we ordered. Good location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Private Transfer from San Cristobal to Palenque - visit Agua Azul and Misol Ha en Route
Private Transfer from San Cristobal to Palenque - visit Agua Azul and Misol Ha en Route
Mexico

This was hell and it wasn't a private transfer at all. I've set this all out in my detailed feedback letter. But here's an excerpt: Third, our departure from San Cristobal was scheduled for 3am via a private transfer. This was clearly stated in our detailed trip itinerary Rutopia drafted for us and which we agreed before paying them a five-figure sum for our trip. We would then stop en-route to visit two waterfall areas. At 3am on the designated day, a large, multi-person van pulls up. The driver is cross seeing our luggage and says he would’ve sent a different vehicle if he knew we had luggage. We thought this was odd. It wasn’t a lot of luggage for two people travelling for three weeks: a weekend-sized rollaboard, a large duffel bag (these were the two largest pieces), two small rucksacks/daypacks, a small camera bag and a small handbag. This attitude and the type of vehicle prompted me to ask if we would be the only persons. The driver said no. He needed to pick up more people between 3am and 5am. We were merely the first stop. We were stunned. I explained, in my basic Spanish, we had paid for a private transfer. The driver calls his boss (not Rutopia – each driver we’ve had so far and would have for the trip is from a different company – supply chain hell as I previously mentioned) and the boss tells him he doesn’t know what’s going on. The driver asks us for a confirmation voucher. We never received any vouchers from Rutopia and no one until then had asked us for any. It’s the digital age after all, and we had our detailed itinerary, which I showed the driver. The driver is now visibly annoyed with us and asks us what we want to do. It’s after 3am, we’ve checked out of our hotel and we are trapped. So of course we say we will stay on the bus and make the several hour journey like this. But this wasn’t satisfactory to the driver! He drives us back to the hotel and dumps us there. In Spanish he says to the passenger in the seat next to him that he’s washing his hands of us. My spoken Spanish isn’t good, but my understanding of it is excellent. I hear this clearly. We’re now back at the hotel. I’ve messaged Rutopia, called them and nothing – obviously, it’s almost 4am. I next call the transfer company and I speak to who I believe is the driver’s boss. That person tells me there’s no private transfer for that day and if I want the same driver to return. Of course I say yes to have him return. That’s what we had said to the driver originally. We had no choice! When the van arrives back at our hotel, it’s full of passengers and there’s no room for our luggage. We spend the next six hours jammed with most of our luggage on our laps, in seats not next to each other, on the tortuous roads of Chiapas. Because we had believed we had a private transfer, we had left our bathing suits (for the waterfall stops) in our luggage as we believed we would have easy access to them. The reality was our luggage was piled with others’ and things had to be moved just for all the passengers to be able to get out of the van. We were utterly unprepared for the hell trip this was and were extremely disappointed we couldn’t go swimming. Of course the sights were beautiful, but they were marred by the utter discomfort of the trip. Had we paid for this type of transfer and had a backpacker trip in mind, then fine. But that’s not what we paid five figures for. Our itinerary also detailed a sunset visit to the ruins of Palenque as the final activity for that day. Did that happen? Nope. We were dropped off at our hotel around 12.30 or so. Check-in wasn’t until 3pm, but were able to get into our rooms a little earlier. When the Rutopia in-country representative came back on line I requested a refund. The in-country representative said the transfer was meant to be shared and didn’t know why her colleagues had written private. We were shocked by this. I pointed to the detailed itinerary showing clearly the transfer was private. The itinerary is the contract we agreed to with Rutopia and they couldn’t change significant things and just say oops. I asked about the sunset tour of the ruins and nothing. That didn’t exist either. So we had had a hell trip from 3am for nothing. I asked for a refund of that day. Reluctantly, Rutopia agreed and said it would be in my account a few days later. It’s now weeks later and it’s not there.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lucha Libre Experience & Mezcal Tasting
Lucha Libre Experience & Mezcal Tasting
Mexico City

Fantastic night and great guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Mexico City

Brilliant day. Terrific guide.

Quality of Experience
Food
restaurant had clearly marked vegan options!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Natalia Tavera Daza

Every driver, every guide every encounter exc...
Mexico | Jan 11 - Jan 15, 2023

joseph
joseph t.
Jeffersonville, IN | Reviewed on Jan 16, 2023
Every driver, every guide every encounter exceeded all expectations.
The passion exhibited by each and every guide was palpable
I will recommend this to everyone
Read more

Every driver, every guide every encounter exceeded all expectations.
The passion exhibited by each and every guide was palpable
I will recommend this to everyone

Hotel Reviews
Casa Quetzal Hotel Boutique
Valladolid, Yucatán

Old world charm in which we were made to feel welcome and wanted

Authenticity & Character
300 year old structure lovingly maintained
Location
Villaldolid is absolutely charming
Staff
Accommodating!!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Spotless!!! The bed wasn’t great but it worked out fine
Hip Hotel Tulum
Tulum

Lovely hotel right in the beach. Very touristy but incredibly comfortable

Authenticity & Character
The structures are perfectly rustic
Location
Literally on the ocean
Staff
Cheerful and accommodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
Spotless!!!
Activity Reviews
Explore the mysterious area of Ek Balam
Explore the mysterious area of Ek Balam
Chichén Itzá

Our guide was wonderful

Quality of Experience
Passion
Guides, Drivers and Staff
So friendly and fun loving!!
Transport
Comfortable
Explore Chichén Itzá: A Wonder of the Mayan World
Explore Chichén Itzá: A Wonder of the Mayan World
Chichén Itzá

Breath taking The immensity of this place along with the stunning beauty left a mark on all of us

Quality of Experience
Our guide painted a vivid picture as he shared his passion for this amazing place
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Just so warm and friendly
Transport
Very comfortable
Mayan jungle, culture, cenotes and lunch in Yalcobá
Mayan jungle, culture, cenotes and lunch in Yalcobá
Mexico

The cenote is amazing but not for everyone!! Very physical The lunch was wonderful and the local family were charming They were so open and welcoming

Quality of Experience
I will never forget this
Food
Delicious
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lovely
Transport
Comfortable
Eco Center & Traditional Mayan Meal
Eco Center & Traditional Mayan Meal
Mexico

Stunning!! Food was amazing and the forest was beautiful

Quality of Experience
Beautiful!!
Food
Maybe the best meal we had on this trip
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Passionate, friendly and fun!!
Transport
Very comfortable
Float in the Muyil Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with transportation from Cancun.
Float in the Muyil Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with transportation from Cancun.
Cancún

Breath taking!! The canal trip was unlike anything I’ve ever done Stunning

Quality of Experience
Every aspect of this part of the trip was perfect
Food
Delicious The meal was wonderful
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Friendly and passionate and fun loving
Transport
Comfortable
Local specialist: Karen Quintero

We were a bit skeptical of the whole process ...
Mexico | Dec 29 - Jan 6, 2023

Deena
Deena B.
West Lake Sammamish, WA | Reviewed on Jan 11, 2023
We were a bit skeptical of the whole process at first, but went with it and now that we have returned and reflected on the experience it was amazing to have KimKim there for us every step of the way. We have traveled a lot in Mexico previously and wanted an authentic experience without the stress. Leslie was super kind and accommodating throughout the planning and booking process- I highly recommend using her and KimKim. Then, once we were on our trip Ximena was there on What’sApp to help... Read more

We were a bit skeptical of the whole process at first, but went with it and now that we have returned and reflected on the experience it was amazing to have KimKim there for us every step of the way. We have traveled a lot in Mexico previously and wanted an authentic experience without the stress. Leslie was super kind and accommodating throughout the planning and booking process- I highly recommend using her and KimKim. Then, once we were on our trip Ximena was there on What’sApp to help with anything we needed - even sending reminders every evening for the next days activities which included things to think about doing on our free days. We were especially grateful to have Tere waiting for us at the rental car agency to help us navigate that after a long international flight, and to have her there at our departure to make sure everything was correct. It was just such a huge relief to have her and the entire KimKim team available for anything we needed!

Activity Reviews
Immerse Yourself in the Peaceful Yokdzonot Cenote
Immerse Yourself in the Peaceful Yokdzonot Cenote
Mexico

We visited several cenotes in the area and this one was our favorite. It’s an hour drive from Valladoldid, but close to Chichen Itza. We drove to the cenote for an afternoon arrival and then did the Nights if Kulkulcan at Chichen Itza (to avoid the heat and my 5 year old whining). It worked out great for our family. The only odd thing was that the people who worked there seemed very confused about our entrance including a meal. We were given menus, then they were take away once they knew we had food included, but then they told us pretty much everything was available for us to order… it was a little confusing.

Quality of Experience
Food
The food was awesome! The soup was amazing
Coba and the sacred Mayan roads
Coba and the sacred Mayan roads
Cobá

We enjoyed Coba - especially the biking and the more shaded cover Vs Chichen Itza. Our guide was just ok. We went on New Year’s Day so perhaps he was a little tired from the night before. We picked him up at the Pemex near the entrance and he helped us find parking. He slowly explained some things about the ruins before we went in (he was very patient with my kids asking a ton of questions). When we got the main ruins, we sat under a palapa area in the shade while he told us about the ruins. He then opted to stay in the shade instead of walking with us over to the main ruins. He said it was to allow us to walk around but it would have been nice to have him there (and to have a picture of all of our family in front of the ruins!). Selfies will work just fine.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Eco Center & Traditional Mayan Meal
Eco Center & Traditional Mayan Meal
Mexico

We arrived in Nuevo Durango and Blanca and her family welcomed us in and showed us how to make hammocks. My son, who is 9, absolutely loved it and didn’t want to leave. Blanca offered lemonade and we took turns weaving. I speak fluent Spanish but no one else in my family does, and none of the other hosts spoke English. Thankfully I was able to translate for everyone but I’m not sure how it would work if someone was going that didn’t speak Spanish…? The food we ate was amazing, and my kids loved it. I was convinced they weren’t going to eat it but they did! And they loved it

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Float in the Muyil Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with transportation from Cancun.
Float in the Muyil Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve with transportation from Cancun.
Cancún

This was the highlight of the trip for me! We loved floating in the canals carved by Mayans 2,000 years ago. Don’t book the ruins option - it’s an hour walk to get to the ruins. Stick with their most popular tour. Our guide Memo was amazing as was the food we enjoyed after. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Leslie Pérez