Kimkim Trip Reviews for Scotland

John took us to castles, lochs, towns and overlooks. Really great

One could spend a whole week or more on Skye. We had 2 days, which seemed like just enough. The Fairy Glen, Fairy Pools and Talisker distillery were particular highlights

It's a lovely location on a slope overlooking Portree, with a view to the harbor. I loved having my own pod that was warm and cozy. The days were rainy, but the pit-pat of the rain on the roof made it even more cozy to be inside.

Where do I even start :-))) You get to stay in a real castle! My room was under the roof and looked out over the roof tiles to another tower. The refurbishment is very modern, of course. There is a shower, a bathtub, a fridge a coffee machine and a tea kettle. But somehow it still feels like a castle. That's how a modern castle room should look like :-) I particularly enjoyed opening the front door of the castle with my own key when I came back form my daily explorations. It felt like a lot of fun just doing that. And then you get inside, there is a hall, a staircase and the place is your temporary "home."

The host greeted me with tea and chocolate cake! She is lovely, but she wants to retire, so I think we should leave her alone :-))) Her little pet dog is very friendly and fun - we became best buddies.

This place is very special. It dates back to 16th century and looks very picturesque. Once you step into your room, you are amazed at the level of luxury. You could watch TV while taking a bath, if you wished. My room also had a patio with a gas fireplace that I enjoyed for a few hours in the evening. It's very atmospheric: great combination of old and modern. Their dinners are famous. If you stay at this lodge, I highly recommend booking a dinner experience as well. Also, check the pottery workshop nearby: you won't be able to go away without a souvenir.

My driver and guide, Murdo, was just great. He is very authentic, a local through and through who told me so many interesting stories about the Isle of Lewis, it's history, it's people. And these stories did not feel like stories from the book. They were real stories, lived by the people or passed by the people from one generation to another. The Callanish stones are a very special cite to visit. The Black Houses were also very interesting to experience.

Alan MacKenzie is a great travel companion, equally good at sharing and listening. I am very grateful he was the one to welcome me to the Western Isles. I think it sat the tone for the rest of my stay and travel.

This was my first ever surfing lesson and I am glad it took place on Lewis. We had the whole huge beach to ourselves, since you are going to get wet anyways, you don't need to worry about the rain and it being not exactly the warmest day :-) It was very atmospheric, you could feel the power of the sea (which you have to respect). I think if I did not have a one-on-one lesson and a lot of support from the instructor, I would never manage to get as far as I got. She was great - very encouraging and easy going. It was pure fun but also a good challenge (did I feel it the next day :-))) ). There are also caves on that beach that can only be visited at low tide - we took a short stroll after the class to check them out.

I had two sessions. One was a one-on-one trip with Ben. It's very relaxing to be on the water and take it at your own speed. We did a good round and saw lots of seals. We also did a round around the castle in the bay. The other one was with Chris and his daughter (sorry, can't remember the name). They are all a great family - all very friendly, experienced and attentive. The second was with a group on a sunny day - so that was also a lot of fun and very picture-pretty, but no wildlife.

Brian told me a few stories while on the road. Also gave me the advice to use the opportunity and have dinner at the place where he dropped me off. Thank you. I would have missed an amazing dining experience, if not for this advice. That was a perfect ending to my perfect Islands getaway.

Beautiful place and location is perfect for exploring Edinburgh on foot, or by other transportation means.

BEAUTIFUL hotel and location! Staff was friendly and efficient. We would go back, given the chance, and stay a few nights longer to really savor the grandeur of this location!

Amazing hotel right on the water! Quiet location, great food in the restaurant with a good variety and the rooms were spotless. Would stay there again!

This hotel was "tired" and not the cleanest, BUT the location is perfect for your Portree visit and met our basic needs for sleeping there as we explored the Isle of Skye.

Beautiful hotel in a central and historic area of town. Nice and quiet for resting, super clean as well.

Great location and service. Clean hotel with friendly and prompt staff. We enjoyed our stay here very much.

This cruise was so nice! Very knowledgable speaker who gave the two hour tour. Loved seeing the Loch and learning all about it.

A really fun activity to do while you wait for your hotel room to be available, like we did. Saw a lot of great sites around London from the comfort of our double decker bus top row seats :)

AMAZING location and tour for Harry Potter fans! Exceeded our expectations by a mile! SO many props, costumes and sets... a great experience!

We absolutely loved this tour! Our guide, Simon, was fun and knowledgable and kept our small group together through the crowds. We learned a TON and will always remember this activity.

GREAT site to see! Enjoyed it with our whole family :)

LOVED, loved riding on and sleeping on the Caledonian Sleeper to London! The club car was fun and had massive windows for taking in the sites. Our room was comfortable and gets very dark when you're ready to sleep. Breakfast delivered to your room was tasty as well.

This place was stunning inside and out. Absolutely worth visiting. The staff was also incredibly warm and wonderful.

Modern and well appointed rooms with small kitchens. The beds were very comfortable and the cafe was amazing.

Good location in INverness, but older building. Be prepared to bring your luggage up a few flights of stairs. The neds are older and not very comfortable.

Excellent space and amenities for a short or longer stay. Full kitchen and space for a family to spread out.

Incredibly beautiful building. It looks like a museum from the outside.

This was a relaxing fun way to see the Locke

Cain was a wonderful driver. He was helpful in planning our day and was very kind as the day turned quite rainy. He helped us make the best of it!

Peter was a super experienced climber and wonderful guide. He climbs this mountain 3-4 times a week so he knows it well. He helped me with aprehensions I had as this was the first major hike I'd done since major ACL surgery. I could not have done it without his encouragement!

This was a bucket list item for me on this trip and my whole family enjoyed it. You can spend about 45 minutes and these sculptures are an engineering marvel! What a treasure!

This was great fun for a family outing. Our family enjoyed the guides comments as well as a fast ride on Loch Ness.

A great tour to give you an understanding of historical Edinburgh.

This is a beautiful place, but the castle staff are cautious regarding over crowding, so were not able to go into the castle as planned. We did go to a viewing area and were able to get some great photos of the exterior from across the water.

This was an enjoyable experience for all and a great way to learn about Scottish Whisky.

Unfortunately, on this day it was pouring rain and cold. But we had an amazing time regardless. Our two guides made it a fun experience for the entire family

This was a great way to see Glasgow, learn about the city, and taste amazing local foods.

Our family enjoyed the train trip, a relaxing way to travel and see the Scottish countryside.

This activity exceeded our expectation. There is a hilly walk to the reindeer which is very scenic in itself. The Reindeer were so beautiful to see up close. We learned about the herd from our guide and were allowed to feed them. The scenery on the hill was beautiful as well.

A great way to learn about Scottish Whisky.

Our guide gave us a wonderful day on the Isle of Skye considering, it was cold, windy, and rainy, and we were traveling on a tour bus that could not access all the areas.

Excellent. Amazing. Stay here if you can, we will probably come back to Scotland just to stay here again. Awesome service, unbelievable location and amenities, excellent food.

Beautiful place, amazing breakfasts, wonderful staff.

Excellent hotel - amazing room that we could have spent two weeks in. Highly recommend.

Having afternoon tea at Edinburgh Castle was a delightful experience! The tea itself was excellent, and the food was top-notch. It's one of those things that I'm really happy we did once, even though we probably wouldn't do it again. The atmosphere and the setting made it feel quite special, and it's definitely worth trying at least once.

The History Lovers Old Town Walking Tour in Edinburgh was fantastic. Our guide was super energetic and knowledgeable, taking us through little corners and showing us special spots around the town. She was still a student in her senior year but did an amazing job. This tour was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone visiting Edinburgh.

The Underground Vaults and Graveyard Ghost Tour was a bit of a letdown. It felt pretty touristy and gimmicky, with not much to see. The tour guide was great and the people were nice, but the tour itself just didn't have much substance and felt a bit disjointed. Maybe families or kids would enjoy it more, but it wasn't really for us.

Dining at Cail Bruich in Glasgow was an excellent experience. The food was phenomenal, and the ambiance was just perfect for a fine dining experience. It's definitely a place I'd recommend to anyone looking for a special meal in Glasgow.

Visiting the Kelpies was really cool. The history behind them was quite interesting, and the tour was well worth it. It was a unique and fascinating experience.

The Stirling Castle tour was another highlight. The castle itself is beautiful and rich in history. We really enjoyed exploring it and learning about its significance.

The PhD level guided tour of Bannockburn was disappointing. Although the guide was knowledgeable and a great guy, the tour felt disjointed and didn't meet our expectations. We were hoping for a more detailed walk around the battlefield with specific insights into where events took place, but it didn't quite come together.

The Stirling Old Town Jail tour was very enjoyable. It was really cool to be able to walk around on our own and explore the jail. The tour was well put together and informative.

Our stay at Wilde Apartments Grassmarket was mostly pleasant, but we had an issue with the taxi driver dropping us off at the wrong place. It was a minor inconvenience, but worth mentioning.

Destiny Scotland - Hill Street Apartments was one of the best places we've ever stayed. The only hiccup was the lack of communication about the key code to enter the apartment, which caused a bit of a panic. However, once that was sorted out, our stay was perfect. The apartment itself was fantastic and made our stay in Edinburgh truly memorable.

The Kirkwall Hotel was an excellent choice. The staff was fantastic, and the accommodations were comfortable and met all our needs. The service was impeccable, making our stay there truly enjoyable.

The taxi service to our hotel was prompt, but the Edinburgh Old Town Tour was a bit underwhelming. Our guide, Christoph, was lovely but had a heavy accent that made it hard to understand him, especially with the Plexiglas barrier in the taxi. An open car might have made the experience much better. Despite this, he took us to Calton Hill, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

The Shetland Tour was a highlight. We had a fantastic guide who took us on a driving tour through some breathtaking scenery. It was truly an unforgettable experience, made even better by the knowledgeable and friendly guide. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Shetland Islands.

Nicholas, our guide for the Cairngorms tour, was absolutely wonderful. The tour was well-organized, and Nicola's knowledge and enthusiasm for the area made it an exceptional experience. I couldn't have asked for a better guide or a more beautiful setting.

Great location - we walked everywhere and had no difficulty using the tram to and from the airport. Interesting boutique hotel with good size rooms and a great breakfast in their elegant bar. Helpful staff, happy to store luggage. Great treats, water and hot drinks in rooms. Although displayed with the complimentary water, the Pringles will be charged. The Rod Stewart room needs a new mattress.

Elegant, spacious hotel with lovely mountain and loch views. Excellent restaurant and service.

Comfy, pretty hotel with friendly, helpful staff and a good breakfast. We loved the 15 minute walk to the town center.

Rustic hotel in a very sparsely populated area. Excellent service and a great restaurant. Tired, old room but adequate.

Great location overlooking the pastel buildings on the harbor. Adequate room and breakfast.

Great location, parking at back of hotel, very small but comfy room, with great breakfast/bar area with good espresso machine available 24/7.

Nestled below the incredible Stirling Castle and near to some great restaurants, interesting comfortable hotel in old grammar school, easy courtyard parking, breakfast room busy and a tad cramped.

Not the prettiest scenery but searching for Nessie is a must. We visited the quaint village of Dores, enjoyed lunch at the Dores Inn, and got to meet Steve Feltham who has lived in a caravan next to the Inn. Looking for. Eddie since 1991.

Such a beautiful area and the light through the clouds was breathtaking. Knowledgeable commentary on Black Houses, tides and local culture

Alison our tour guide was very experienced and knowledgeable. It was hailing minutes before our ride, but she assured us that she had checked the radar and it would be fine, we enjoyed biking through the Ness Islands where we met the grumpy anti-biker lady that Alison had been trying to appease for many years, biked along the Caledonian Canal to the locks, and then through a nature reserve alongside the Beauly Firth

Even a small amount of rainfall results in the inner cave tour being cancelled. One can still enjoy the view of the waterfalls at the entrance and the stunning beauty of the surrounding cliffs.

A steam train ride through beautiful scenery. We were expecting some kind of narration about Jacobite history and Harry Potter settings. There was no narration or written history offered. Perhaps it would be better to catch the regular train to Glenfinnan, hike to get a great view of the aquaduct , and get a wonderful video of the steam train crossing. Then take the regular train to Mallaig for lunch in a pretty harbor town.

We had two friends join us and the staff were flexible and worked this out for us. Lovely champagne high tea in a beautiful setting, but pricey.

Great day trip with Peter, an entertaining and knowledgable tour guide/driver. Taking a regular train to St Andrews and stopping off at a fishing village would be a far more affordable option.

Very upscale hotel that is centrally located to tourists sites, restaurants, and shopping. The staff was exceptionally friendly and accommodating. Would definitely stay here again!

Nice hotel, rooms were quite small but efficient. Breakfast was included which was a plus. Convenient to restaurants/bars and some tourist sites.

I can't say enough good things about Cameron House. This is a very posh and wonderful property with every amenity and an exceptional staff. We spent the last days of our trip here and could not have asked for a better ending. The room was well appointed with robes, slippers and even a welcome video. The grounds were immaculate and we had a beautiful Loch view. All of the restaurants had good food and the breakfast buffet was enormous. We didn't want for anything! This property is highly recommended.

Wonderful hosts! Helpful and accommodating. Our room was perfect and the breakfast was very tasty. A beautiful and relaxing rural experience with views of Loch Bracadale and the Cuillin Mountains.

Robert was an exceptional guide! He asked us a couple questions about our backgrounds and the customized the tour to include our interests... and still shared the traditional sites of the city with their interesting stories. In my opinion, Robert should be your go-to Edinburgh guide.

Interesting and Entertaining!

Amazing stay.

The Ness Walk hotel was definitely one of my favorites. The staff was exceptional, our room was wonderful and the hotel's Afternoon Tea a delight. The hotel is perfectly situated on the river and easily walkable to other places around town.

This hotel was, simply put, awful. Our room smelled like the sewer, it was very cold as the heaters did not work, and the worst part was when I went to make a cup of tea in the room, I found a pubic hair in the tea mug.

We arrived at this hotel quite late at night after having difficulty finding it. We were hungry and not in a mood to try to find somewhere to eat. The manager on duty was so kind and went into the kitchen and prepared a wonderful, little tray of food for us. She set the tone and it was wonderful. When we woke the next morning, we had no idea we were staying right next to the Castle of Mey. What a treat that was! Our only regret is that our stay was just for one night. We would have loved to stay a couple nights longer.

On the surface, it is a lovely hotel. The location is good, the grounds are beautiful, excellent front desk staff (especially the blonde woman, but did not get her name) and we especially liked the two bartenders in the bar, who recommended the gins for us to try. Where the hotel fell short were the hotel rooms. The rooms would be very nice if not for the constant loud hum from the kitchen. We liked the hotel, but would not stay there again because of the hum. The excellent woman at the front desk told us she has brought up the issue with the owners many times, as guests have complained. If we were to go back to this hotel, we'd stay in one of the few cottages/guest houses on the property.

This is a tough one. The location of the hotel is great. One can easily walk through town to restaurants, shopping, places of interest, etc. But the hotel itself is not that great. Playing off the fact that the building was once the "jail" is the draw, but it doesn't work. Our suite looked out over the back parking lot. We had to lug our bags up three flights of stairs. If you just need a quick hotel for one night, it's probably fine. But it wasn't our cup of tea.

Loved the Pine Trees Hotel - and Pitlochry! What a wonderful town. Would definitely go back to Pitlochry and stay at the Pine Trees Hotel. We had the master suite, which was absolutely wonderful. Again, we were in Pitlochry for only one night and wish we could have stayed longer. It's definitely a longer-stay hotel. The staff was wonderful and very accommodating. Plus, a (very short) and nice walk into town.

As "tourist" town hotels go, it's location is great and easy to walk to everything around Edinburgh. We've stayed in better Kimpton properties.

We went into this thinking - "it's a glass-bottom boat tour; we're from Florida, no big deal." However, I am so glad we did this boat trip. As we were driving to the Isle of Skye thinking that we'd have plenty of time to check into our hotel and relax, I received a text from the owner of the boat asking us if we could make it for the 2 p.m. cruise instead of the 4 p.m. cruise as we were the only two people booked for the 4 p.m. cruise. We knew we'd have to hustle, but I told her we would try to get there. Long story short, we made it there before 2 p.m. and as it turned out there were only three of us on the boat cruise. It was wonderful! We had the whole boat to ourselves and had wonderful conversations with the co-owner and the captain. We would not have had this much interaction had the boat been full. It was a wonderful boat cruise and visit to a ship wreck and salmon farm.

There was torrential rain the evening of this cruise and were unable to do the cruise.

Loved every minute of our guided walk. David, our guide, was absolutely wonderful. Very knowledgeable and helpful. Stunning scenery. Would love to go back to the Glencoe area.

Very stunning and interesting castle.

Definitely worth the walk up Calton Hill.