Kimkim Trip Reviews for Spain

We had a fantastic trip to Spain stopping in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Marbella. Dalia did a great job securing hotels, a few private tours and rail tickets - all of which were top notch. She was also immensely helpful when I had questions or requests along the way. I would highly recommend Dalia and team and would work with them again.

We enjoyed our trip to Spain. I am not sure I would use a travel agency for planning again though. I should’ve been more proactive with planning/input. We were a group of 14 including seven kids ages 4 to 18. With Spain being so hot in the summer it really would’ve been helpful to have a pool at each of our accommodations. The trip plan involved far too much driving. We had at least an hour drive there/back to each daily activity. More restaurant information with specific recommendations and even advanced reservations would’ve been very helpful. A favorite activity was e-bike mountain biking. Loved Segovia, San Sebastián, and Madrid.

The hotels and the activities provided were excellent. Maybe because of our age but I thought the trip had too many activities planned without enough time between. There was no way we could have made the trip from Vigo to the boat trip on the River Sal.
I thought San Sebastián was a Zoo and very hard to drive. I would skip that City and use the time for a more leisurely drive through the rest of the trip.
Everyone is different but apart from the above comments everything else was great. No complaints about Bea, the hotels or the places visited. We will use Kimkim again!!

Hotel Reviews

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

Authenticity & Character

It was just a nice hotel

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

San Francisco Hotel Monumento

Santiago de Compostela

An excellent historical hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the Cathedral of Santiago.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Vigo

Vigo

Authenticity & Character

A nice hotel but obviously part of the tourist bus tours

Location

Staff

I can’t remember his name but one of the guest services person was very good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador de Monforte de Lemos

Monforte de Lemos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Princesa Munia Hotel & Spa

Oviedo, Asturias

Compared with some of the other hotels it couldn’t quite compete. Not a bad hotel but we were not interested in any of the Spa services and maybe a less pretentious hotel in Oviedo would’ve been better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Puebloastur Eco-Resort Wellness & Spa

Cofiño, Parres

Great place. Amazing views, tranquility and excellent service and food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petit Palace Arana

Bilbao

Adequate but below the standards of all the hotels. Unclear instructions about arrival at the hotel. The car park is conveniently located but in practical terms you need to park the car before checking in. There is absolutely no space to park in front of the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One Shot Tabakalera House

San Sebastian

Great hotel and the lunch at the Basque Culinary School next door was our best meal in Spain.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

Never happened because our flight to Madrid was delayed.

Privately Guided Visit of Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

The guide was excellent

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour of Ribeira Sacra

Spain

I was not feeling well that day and so we canceled the boat trip on the River Sil. However when the time was changed to be an hour earlier than originally scheduled it would have been almost impossible to get there on time. Unless you set off from the hotel at 8 am and that would have been typical because of coach tours checking out at that time and you would still need someone to get the car (front desk in our case). Completely impractical for a relaxing holiday.

Gastronomic Experience in Oviedo

Oviedo

A very good tour with some unique features of the tour, such as the cider tasting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Covadonga Lakes

Spain

The guide was excellent. Even though the most was so dense that it was hard to see the lakes, it was still a good tour with an excellent guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of San Sebastian

San Sebastián

Excellent tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Sebastian Pintxo Experience

San Sebastián

We tasted Pintxo that we never tasted before or after this tour. The guide chose excellent places to sample the Pintxos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helena was an outstanding partner in helping us curate a customized itinerary for our first trip to Spain. It balanced history, culture, excursions and also free time for our families. All the tours and guide trips she picked were extremely professional. Even during the trip she was very hands on and responsive to all our needs. I highly recommend Kimkim!

Activity Review

Coastal Hike, Kayaking & Lagoon Dipping in Costa Brava

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We truly had an epic trip to Spain! Many thanks to Yuri and Adam for all of their help to coordinating this for us as the trip was fantastic! For the transfers, with the exception of the pick up from Madrid hotel to Madrid train station, all of the transfers were seamless. With the above mentioned transfer, the driver did his best to resolve and thankfully did get us to the station in time for our train to Seville. For the hotels, we were pleased with all of our selections and only had one concern which I can detail related to Madrid. Aside from that, the stays were outstanding! For the yours planned via KimKim, the Tuk Tuk in Madrid was great fun, the private visit to Alcazar and Sevilla Cathedral in Sevilla was out of this world amazing, the boat/walk/hike/kayak in Tossa was wonderful, the private Gaudi tour of Park Guell, Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo was outstanding and the Hot air balloon in Barcelona was awesome!

Hotel Reviews

Eric Vökel Boutique Apartments - Madrid Suites

Madrid

We spent 2 nights here in the 2 bedroom apartment. Pros: - check in was super easy and staff was amazing! - they gave us lockers to store luggage give we arrived at 9a - apartment was well appointed , clean and gorgeous with washer/dryer combo and full kitchen - beds were super comfy - location was safe and close to 24 hour bakery La Dona which was fantastic especially given that there was no breakfast included Cons: - major con is the noise at night - our unit faced the main street and so it was continual noise all night long

Authenticity & Character

the hotel room was designed to be very modern/sleek/chic and trendy. So it was authentic to match that vibe. The unt was beautiful, but unfortunately had poor insulation to external noise.

Location

the hotel is pretty close to everything with easy access to taxis.

Staff

WOW!! the staff was terrific in all ways! They stored our luggage, gave us great tips, helped arrange taxis and were all around terrific!

Cleanliness & Comfort

spacious and super comfortable. Only negative was the noise at night.

Hotel Casa 1800 Sevilla

Sevilla

This hotel is not just a hotel, it is an amazing experience!! The location is excellent, literally a 5 minute walk to to the Cathedral of Seville and the Alcazar surrounded by so many tapas restaurants and shops. Despite the hustle and bustle, once you enter the hotel, it’s an oasis of calm and zen. The reception front desk team was beyond amazing! Special shout outs to Alberto, Leo, Julio and Rosa! The rooms ( patio rooms) were gorgeous and well appointed. The beds were super comfortable and the air conditioning worked without any issues. The hotel provides ice cold water as complimentary which was beyond amazing given the heat of Sevilla! Breakfast buffet was fresh and delicious with excellent service and their daily tea time/ merienda was phenomenal! The rooftop pool was terrific and had stunning views of the Giralda, Cathedral and Sevilla! Our family had the best time here and cannot wait to return!! Thank you Hotel Casa 1800!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gran Hotel Reymar

Tossa de Mar

We spent 3 nights at this hotel! The location is wonderful and absolutely gorgeous across the street from Platja Mar Menuda. Our family had rooms with sea views. The rooms were modern. There is no ability to adjust the air conditioning which was not ideal but thankfully it was not too hot outside when we were there so keeping the blinds closed while we were out helped. Check in was super easy and the staff were terrific! We har a car and parking is a bit steep at 20 euros per day though it was unlimited valet in and out and the valet staff were excellent! The buffet breakfast was not the best and had very limited warm food options. It was also the same all 3 days which was not as great compared to the other hotels we stayed in during the course of our trip throughout Spain. The pool was nice but towels are not complimentary. Thankfully we brought our own. All in all, it was a very good stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gallery

Barcelona

We stayed at this amazing hotel for 6 nights, and it was absolutely perfect!! The location is perfect right off beautiful and luxurious Passeig de Gràcia neighborhood with easy access to 2 metro stations. The neighborhood is super safe, surrounded by trees and cute cafes and shops. We loved visiting La Rambla, El Born and the Gothic quarter but were so thankful to be able to stay at the Gallery given its calm and relaxing environment. This hotel is the perfect site as it is so close by to Casa Milà, Casa Batlló and Casa Vicens! The standard rooms were super spacious, comfortable and most importantly safe and quiet. This hotel also has a neat rooftop bar and refreshing swimming pool. They also provide complimentary pool towels which is not standard everywhere which was a very nice touch. Despite being in the middle of everything, this hotel gave the vibes of being home. The absolute very BEST part of this hotel is the people who work there. They were genuinely happy to help in any way they could help, were engaging, responsive and always kept our comfort in mind. I have to give some special shout outs to the following individuals- Ruben, Aaron, Roberta, Ernesto, Rosanna, Auria, James, Falcon and Mateo. Aaron and Ruben checked us in and went out of their way to ensure we had all the info we needs, arranged taxis for us, advised on us on the most cost efficient ways to travel and see the various sites and suggested great eateries. Aaron answered questions ( despite me asking several times LOL) and did it with kindness. Ruben even arranged a picnic breakfast for our family as we had a 6a excursion without me even asking once he heard we needed a taxi at that time. That was beyond kind and so deeply appreciated. Auria helped us figure out the best way to visit Sitges which was beautiful by the way and is a must do if you are seeking a tranquil beach day! Ernesto was so friendly too! We had daily breakfast included in our stay and the food was fresh and delicious! The whole team led by Francesco were amazing! Everything was so clean and organized and it was just the best way to start the long days! They even gave us to go cups with the coffee beverage of our choice which was so nice! Staying at the Gallery was like staying home and we absolutely would stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Tour of Madrid by Electric Tuk-Tuk

Madrid

Hector took us on the best Tuk Tuk Tour and also took us to spots where we could get the best pics! It was a terrific activity to do on our 1st day in Spain and really helped to lessen jet lag!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Visit to Seville’s Cathedral & Alcázar

Seville

Barbara was an awesome tour guide! She was engaging, brilliant and lovely! My family had a blast! Many thanks to Barbara and her boss Matias for a truly wonderful tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boating, Hiking & Kayaking in Tossa de Mar

Costa Brava

This tour with Ana and Theo was terrific!! Ana gave us a great tour of Villa Velle and the " castle" . The glass bottom boat was short but fun. Theo led us on a terrific hike from Cala Pola to Cala Bona. At Cala Bona, we did kayaking after a small breakfast of pastry and juice which was super fun!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Extended Family-Friendly Gaudí Tour

Barcelona

This tour with Miguel was outstanding!! We toured Park Guell, Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo and it was amazing! Miguel was very family friendly and kept the family engaged the whole time with stories, history and fun facts. The tour did not feel rushed in any way which was terrific! We had time to stop for a quick lunch which was great given the duration of the tour. Miguel also gave us great suggestions on where to eat locally and he was spot on as we ate quite well affordably as well!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hot-Air Balloon Ride

Barcelona

This excursion was coordinated SO SEAMLESSLY and was absolutely excellent! The driver was timely and terrific and our Pilot Nico was engaging and wonderful. We were able to have a light breakfast pre-flight and then had snacks post flight which was nice. The hot air balloon experience was exhilarating and the views were beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

So happy we found KimKim and Karenina as our tour specialist. We started with a broad vision and with Karenina's expertise she prepared an amazing 16 day detailed trip plan! We experienced 6 days in Barcelona, 3 days in the Costa Brava Region (the town of Begur), 3 days in Valencia, and 3 days in Madrid. There was a perfect mix of tours, and on our own time. We were able to reach out to Karenina and her team as needed with questions and/or changes. We could not have been happier with the KimKim team. All of the tour guides were exceptional in their knowledge and very friendly. The local foods were amazing, the people very welcoming, and the architecture stunning. Navigating the cities was very easy, great public transportation. We rented a car for the trip to Costa Brava and then on to Valencia, driving was very low stress. A car is a must to really experience the Costa Brava Region. We were very satisfied with all of the hotel accommodations. We took a trains from Valencia to Madrid and Madrid to Barcelona- a great way to see the country.
Key Highlights: Barcelona- La Sagrada Familia, Olympic Venues, Day trip to Montserrat and tour/tasting at Llopart Vineyard and Park Guell. Costa Brava Region- Day self-driving trips to Girona, Figueres, La Garrotxa, Besalu. Valencia- The Prince Phillip Science Museum and the open-air oceanographic park is a must. We also biked the old river basin which has been converted into 18 different parks. Madrid- Great local markets, and museums.

Hotel Reviews

Andante Hotel

Barcelona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One Shot Palacio Reina Victoria 04 Hotel

Valencia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alta House Begur

Begur, Girona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Petit Palace Puerta del Sol

Madrid

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Montserrat & Penedès Region Wine Tasting

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

We would have liked more time at Montserrat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuk Tuk City Tour - Valencia Historic Center

Valencia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Madrid Walk

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On the last day of a 2 week trip to Spain , I joined a group tour to Montserrat. The tour was operated by We Barcelona. While I can’t point to any one thing about this tour that was bad, it was different than expected. For example, I was under the impression it would be a small group tour but it included 36 people. I’ve taken group tours before but they have all been for small groups and we traveled by minivan style bus versus a large bus. Additionally, although the meeting point was super convenient to where I was staying, once all 36 people checked in, we walked 5 -6 blocks to the bus. The meeting time was 10:30 am but by the time we got to the bus it was 11 and our arrival to Montserrat was about 12:20-12:30. Two young professional women were with us and provided us factual info about Barcelona and Montserrat via microphone during the bus ride. Upon arriving at Montserrat, we split into 2 groups of 18 and our short tour began. The tour lasted about 20-25 minutes and then we were on our own for 75 min. Other travelers who visited Montserrat in years past mentioned how much they liked hiking around there so I originally thought I would do that but it was 1 pm when we had our free time and it was very hot. Our 2 groups of 18 reconvened at 2:10 and we waited to take the funicular down the mountain. Montserrat is spectacularly beautiful so this ride was very scenic. At the bottom of the hill, we met the bus and then we’re driven about 30 minutes to a farmhouse for lunch. I believe the tour advertises having and outdoor lunch on the far, but we ate inside which made sense given the heat. It was a lovely lunch which included a few tapas, a green salad, bread, grilled meats, wine and sorbet. Coffee and tea were offered at the end but were not included in the prepaid tour price. We left the farmhouse around 4:30 and we’re back to Barcelona an hour later. I’m glad I went to Montserrat but would probably do it differently if I had to do it again.

Activity Review

Day Trip to Montserrat & Lunch at a Farmhouse

Barcelona

Montserrat is a scenic wonder and a beautiful place, however this was a large group tour so my review of it is significantly impacted by that fact. I’ve never taken a bus tour so my expectations might be skewed by my tendency to take small group tours or explore on my own. Originally this tour appealed to me because I heard many great things about the hiking. Additionally the fact that I started at 10:30 (versus 8) was originally a bonus but in retrospect the start time and large group size meant we didn’t get free time at Monstserrat until 1 pm and I found it too hot to hike. As someone with no large group tour experience I found a lot of time wasted with just the logistics and transport. For example, our meeting time was 10:30 and everyone was on time but each party had to sign in on 1 tablet and fill out a bunch of information so that took about 15-20 minutes. Then we had to walk 5 or 6 blocks to the bus. So we didn’t actually get moving until at least 11. We arrived at Montserrat at about 12:20 but all the bus parking spots were full so we waited another 5-10 minutes before getting off the bus. There were 2 guides with us so we broke into smaller groups and out tour began. The tour did not include getting close to the Black Madonna but instead included about 2-3 stops outside the monastery where information was given and one stop before the Basilica where info was given. This part of the tour lasted about 15 minutes then we were in our own for 75 minutes. At 2:10 we gathered to take the funicular down the mountain. Then we met our bus and drove about 30 minutes to the farmhouse for lunch. We had lunch inside the farmhouse between 3:15-4:30. We were served a few tapas, bread, a green salad, grilled meats, wine and sorbet. Coffee and tea were offered but not included and had to be paid for separately. The meal was good and I enjoyed the company of the other travelers. We got back to Barcelona at 5:30.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Helena, did an amazing job creating an active and full vacation based on what my family likes and enjoys. Costa Brava was exactly what we wanted. We did enjoy Barcelona but we really crave the locations off the beaten path. My girls ages 16 and 9 favorite parts of the vacation differed. While my 16 year old thought the kayaking in the Mediterranean was such a unique experience my 9 year old was over the moon about the Flamenco Dancing. Curating a vacation like this takes a special talent. Hotel Aiguablava was truly a special place. Begur was a cool town with lots of fantastic restaurants. Closing out our stay with a sail on Med from Barcelona was the perfect ending to a magical vacation.

Hotel Review

Hotel Aigua Blava

Costa Brava · Girona

A special family friendly boutique hotel with amazing views of the Mediterranean. The breakfast was a great selection. The dinners and way above what I expected. Nice bar and comfortable lounge areas. Stunning views from the rooms on even on the far end of the resort. Wish we could have stayed longer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff did a great job making my 16 year olds birthday special after learning about it at the last minute.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coastal Hike, Kayaking & Lagoon Dipping in Costa Brava

Spain

A fun unique experience. Very professional and appropriate for my girls ages 16 & 9.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling in Costa Brava - Begur

Spain

Well operated. Wet suits offered to everyone. Absolutely necessary. The water was cold. The snorkeling is not like being in the Caribbean but still a unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sagrada Familia & Park Guell for Kids

Barcelona

Only do this as a private tour. So worth it to skip the line and a fantastic way to learn about the amazing monument.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flamenco Night

Barcelona

This was my daughter’s favorite experience on this trip. Don’t miss this.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Barcelona Sailboat Experience & Spanish Guitar Concert

Barcelona

The only way to closeout your vacation is to say goodbye from a boat. So much fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We heard about Kimkim on recommendation from a friend who used them for a trip to Portugal and are so happy we used their services on our first trip to Spain!! Usually my husband does all aspects of trip planning, including hotels, rental cars, event/tour tickets, etc. and has to do the requisite amount of research beforehand, in addition to making all of the bookings. Kimkim set us up with Marta, a local expert, and she planned every aspect of our 2 week trip in Southern Spain and made many specific recommendations based on our interests and budget. Everything was planned and coordinated with her online - we never even spoke on the phone because we didn't have to - and she would get back to me with answers, additions, changes and recommendations right away. The communication was top notch every step of the way, even after we were in country....response time was practically immediate and the app with the trip plan is so user friendly and contains all information needed, including time tables, tickets, directions, names, meeting points, etc. We were so lucky in that we have absolutely no issues to report, everything went so smoothly which says so much about the attention to detail Marta and Kimkim delivers! This trip was full of planes, trains, automobiles and miles and miles (kilometers and kilometers!) of walking all over Southern Spain. Highlights included our private tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens with guide, Marta Sanchez. Her English was excellent and her passion for and knowledge of the history of Spain, Granada and the Alhambra were so extensive and contagious. Her expertise definitely made this not-to-miss attraction come to life for us and set us up with historical context right at the beginning of our trip, which was perfect. We climbed the Caminito del Rey which reminded us so much of the Grand Canyon and was beautiful - but HOT. Please be warned that it is much longer than you think because you have to walk to the meeting point from the bus and walk from the end back to the bus which adds at least a few kilometers onto the climb and on a hot, sunny day wearing the required helmet - it is HOT. Bring lots of water. Another highlight was the hotel we stayed in while in Sevilla, Las Casas de la Juderia. It is located in the Old Jewish Quarter and consists of multiple historical homes and buildings that are interconnected by a maze of gardens, patios, passageways and courtyards. All the rooms were unique and historical but modernized and comfortable. The rooftop pool was beautiful and the architecture in the old part of town was gorgeous and steeped in history. We had a private tour of Sevilla with Jose, which gave us the ability to pick and choose areas we wanted to return to but included a detailed tour of the Alcazar. He brought us to a wonderful local restaurant at the end of the tour, and we particularly enjoyed the conversations we had with him during our tour and the food and conversations with others at the restaurant. We rested in the resort town of Marbella, spending a day lounging ocean/poolside, which was much needed with the heat and pace of our trip! Highlights there also included a day trip to Malaga, another beautiful city - our daughter is an artist so we visited the Picasso Museum there which was fantastic - don't miss the architectural finds located in the basement! Madrid was lovely - the private tour we took with Antonio took us by many of the important neighborhoods, buildings, markets and plazas and gave us the much needed knowledge of Madrid to be able to pick and choose the places we wanted to return to and explore in more detail. Again, being interested in art - specifically Modern Art - our daughter visited the Reina Sophia and had a fantastic day there. The last highlight was our day trip to Toledo. Again, our private tour guide Daniel Cano perfectly bookended our trip with his knowledge, passion and love of Toledo and its' incredible history (thank you for telling us he origin of the saying "Holy Toledo"!). From the Old Jewish Quarter to the Toledo Cathedral - the attractions we visited had amazing artworks by El Greco and Carvaggio among others - but also modern art as well. The architecture and history of Spain and specifically the "City of Three Cultures" that guide Daniel Cano shared were easily recognizable to us from the historical context that Marta Sanchez, our guide at the Alhambra, provided at the very beginning of the trip. And again, he. made a wonderful recommendation for a restaurant which was a terrific and restful way to end the day.

The time we saved on trip planning, the insider knowledge of the local experts at Kimkim and the support before, during and after the trip made this vacation so enjoyable and smooth for us. We definitely recommend Kimkim and specifically Marta - and will definitely use them for trip planning in the future.

This was our first time booking with a travel agent ever and we would do it again in a heartbeat! Dalia was an absolute pleasure to work with! All of the tours that she booked were spectacular and she was available whenever we needed.

Activity Reviews

Madrid Highlight group tour with Royal Palace

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Madrid Tapas, Taverns & History group tour

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

San Sebastian Ultimate Pintxos & Wine Tour

San Sebastián

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

San Sebastian cooking class

San Sebastián

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rioja group wine tour: 2 wineries

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Spain! Since it was our first visit, I preferred to rely on the expertise of a professional travel planner. Alfonso did an excellent job, listening to our interests and adjusting plans accordingly. The tours were all excellent and I appreciated the careful attention to transfers and ground transportation. A stop in Pamplona was an unexpected highlight and we all fell in love with San Sebastián. Thank you!

Activity Reviews

Evening Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

Our guide was knowledgeable and very helpful. I might suggest that he drop guests off at a restaurant at the conclusion of the tour and not feel obligated to sit through the meal. It was just a little awkward that we all sat and ate dinner while he watched.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Short Visit to La Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Beautiful! Worth the visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sailing the coast

San Sebastián

Absolutely beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guggenheim private visit

Bilbao

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All guides were great! John and I really enjoyed our first guide for the Madrid tour. She was very helpful, spent more than was scheduled, to guide us in not only Madrid, but with tips on places to see in Toledo as well. We wish we tipped her more than we did, but we were unaware of what was acceptable at the time.
Helena was there when we needed assistance.
Our daughter Amber initiated the trip planning and booking with our input as well since we were taking the trip together. She would be to the best person to describe the planning and booking experience.

Hotel Reviews

Slow Suites Bellas Artes

Madrid

This hotel room was large, and we appreciated the individual thermostat controls in the bedrooms. The little touches like ice in the freezer and water bottle in the refrigerator as well as coffees, etc. was very nice and helpful. This hotel provided us with a map of Madrid to help us with our adventuring and exploring of the city. The beds were comfortable as well as the dining and living room furniture. The hotel was centrally located and very convenient for touring the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to access the primary tourist attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Suites Gran Via 44

Granada

Very nice hotel. It was a bit small for families. It had only the barest amenities such as coffee, etc. It was very nice, and the facilities were fantastic. It was just a bit small if the pull-out bed is in use.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Museo Living & Experience Club Apartments

Málaga

Very nice hotel. Location was great, but it was a bit crowded when the pull-out couch is in use, otherwise the rooms worked well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

The was a great tour, not recommended for families with small children, but our grandchildren were not able to make the tour so for the two remaining adults it was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We did not get transportation to or from this tour and we got lost and had trouble finding out way back to our room. Transport back to the room would have been helpful. We later learned how to catch taxis/Ubers, but we could not get our phones to work to contact anyone and we had difficulty finding a taxi to flag one down in that neighborhood. This was a bit stressful.

Madrid for Kids - Walking Tour with Activities & Snacks

Madrid

This was one of the most informative tours we had during our visit. Our tour guide was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked the whole way, but it was a nice walk, not too rushed or slow.

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

Great tour. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and able to supply the history of the areas we were visiting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We provided our own transportation to and from this tour. I recommend providing transportation to all guided tour locations.

Flamenco Show

Granada

Great experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Excursion in the Andalusia Countryside

Spain

We highly recommend taking this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide provided the transportation. Very good guide and transportation was comfortable.

Sunset Málaga Cruise

Málaga

This was a really fun cruise!

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

We provided our own transportation, but I would recommend KimKim provide transportation for at least back to the hotel.

The girls went to Spain and we loved our trip from start to finish. We enjoyed and highly recommend our tapas crawl and tour of the gothic quarter in Barcelona. Albert was great! Our favorite place was exploring the beaches of ibiza in our rental car! Valencia paella cooking was our top favorite experience!! We thank Marta for all of her efforts to plan our trip, answer questions, and help is in times of need so quickly and affectively! I will defiantly use Kim Kim to travel the world again!

Activity Reviews

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Visit of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter

Barcelona

Albert was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Local Market Visit and Paella Cooking Workshop

Valencia

Our favorite experience throughout our trip to Spain!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A mere two decades after my wife told me on our first date that she always wanted to go to Spain, we decided to make it happen for her birthday - with our daughters in tow. For the first time, we sought help arranging an itinerary and found Kimkim online. We saw that Beatriz, a travel consultant in Spain, had off-the-charts customer reviews.

They didn't do her justice.

We contacted Bea initially just to explore options. We told her our interests, intent, and party make up. Bea continuously offered us modified options until we locked in a plan. Nothing she offered was cookie cutter and we developed a truly specialized itinerary. From Madrid, to Granada, to Cordoba, Sevilla and Barcelona, we had an incredible trip. Bea looked into every detail and found us gems at every stop. We enjoyed multiple private walking tours (including in most cities, at the Alhambra, and a chocolate walking tour in Barcelona - crazy good), flamenco, a cooking class, an Andalusian equestrian show, fantastic hikes and a kayak trip, hotels that fit our needs perfectly, and easy, organized trips by truly professional drivers to and from every train station where Bea booked our passages. She even contacted us before the trip when she saw how hot it was going to be in Sevilla and asked if we might prefer an private river tour to our planned walking tour. We took her up on it, which was a Good Thing as it was pushing 100 degrees and our littles were about to revolt. Bea and her colleagues were available throughout the trip, which added additional support and comfort.

This was a truly memorable trip and Bea/Kimkim are owed considerable thanks for it. Next time we head out on such an adventure, we will certainly contact them again. Thank you, Bea!

Overall the experience booking with KimKim was excellent. Everything was taken care of from the moment we boarded the plane to the time we got home. We did an 11 day tour from Toronto to Barcelona with return flight from Lisbon to Toronto. We are a family of 4 with 2 boys aged 16 and 18.
1. Barcelona- We were picked up from the airport by private car and transported to our hotel in Barcelona. We stayed at Silken Gran Havana Barcelona. It was in a good location. The hotel was clean. It had breakfast included and small gym which we used. That night we went to the Barcelona Tapas Culinary Experience in a small group. The Tapas tour was fun. We went to 4 restaurants all within walking distance. We were given food and drinks at each restaurant. The food was good and there was plenty of it. We enjoyed the tour.
2. Barcelona - We did a 3 hour bike tour with Born the next day. It was a good amount of time and we saw most of the major sites of the city. Our tour guide had fair knowledge but she was actually from Paris so was not a Barcelona local.
3. Barcelona - We did a private Montserrat visit and hiking tour with Ramon. This was definitely a highlight. Ramon was very knowledgeable. He was a proper tour guide. He had samples of local food for us to try on our hike and he provided much insight on the tour of Monserrat and on the hike.
4. Barcelona -We had a free day in Barcelona. We probably could have skipped this day. We saw most of what we wanted to see on the bike tour. I wish we had more time in Lisbon.
5. Barcelona to Lisbon. We had a private air port transfer from our hotel to Lisbon airport. Felip was very nice. He was the driver. The Lisbon airport is quite small. We were there 3 hours ahead for our flight but they would only check us in 2 hours before since other airlines use the space. The flight was longer than we expected - 2 hours. We were picked up by private car and taken to our hotel Casa Balthazar. We loved this hotel! Very private and secluded. It felt more like a bed and breakfast than a hotel. Breakfast was included. It had a private spa with steam room, sauna, hot tub and cold tub. It was in a great part of town. That night we went on a Tuk Tuk tour. The tour was 4 hours and went over time. I think a 1-2 hour Tuk tuk tour may be nice but 4 hours was too long, especially considering we had flown in the day time. It was also difficult to hear the tour guide with all the traffic and noise. We could have skipped this.
6. Day trip to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril - This was an 8 hour tour in a car. Paulo was the tour guide. Paulo was great and quite knowledgeable. The car was slightly cramped for our family of 4. The tour was also long being 8 hours. Plus we ended up stuck in traffic so it was more like a 10 hour tour. We learned a lot and enjoyed the tour but it was maybe one tour too much since we did not have much free time in Lisbon to explore.
7. Lisbon to Algarve - We picked up a rental car at Europcar. They ended up giving us a van. At first we were not happy because the streets in Lisbon are so narrow we did not know how we would be able to get a van to our hotel. We were able to do it and after we left Lisbon the van was nice to have since it was spacious to travel in. It took us about 2.5 hours to travel to the Algarve. We checked in to our hotel Tivoli Lagos Algarve Resort. Breakfast was included which was nice. The resort was slightly dated and very full of tourists. The hotel had a happy hour and karaoke. Some guests seemed to love it but that is not really what we enjoy. We visited our friends who stayed at a different Tivoli Resort which was in a nearby town. It was beautiful since it was on the water and overlooking the rocks. We would have preferred that hotel over the one we stayed in. It was closer to the Bengali caves. That said, Lagos was a bigger town with more shopping, a marina. and a festival going on. There was also a Mexican restaurant called the Green Leaf at the bottom of the hill near our hotel that we loved! We ate there every day that we were in the Algarve! There was also East Indian cuisine and shopping.
We did the Algarve Sunset Experience. This was a 3 hour tour but didn't need to be. The guide drove us through neighbourhoods in a run down jeep. He talked about the vegetation, trees, figs, almonds and then we watched the sunset. We were supposed to have bread and chorizo but he forgot to get it so we had almond cakes instead. This tour also went over on time. I would skip this tour and simply drive our rented car to the outlook spot if we did it again.
8. Algarve Kayaking Trip to Benagil Cave - This tour was with Secret Algarve and was the highlight of our trip. I would highly recommend this tour. The guides were professional. The sights were beautiful. It is quite busy since there are a lot of tour groups going out to see the caves but we really enjoyed it.
9. Algarve - We had a free day in Algarve. We went to see some of the sights Ponta da Peidade. It was beautiful but very hot. We ended up just strolling the streets for souvenirs and shopping which was nice.
10. Algarve to Lisbon to Toronto - We drove back to Lisbon. Dropped our rental car at the airport and flew back to Toronto.

Overall we truly enjoyed our trip. It was the family trip of a lifetime. If I had to change anything I would do one or two less tours or at least shorten them because I found them too long. The highlights were Monserrat and hiking as well as the kayaking in Bengali caves. But we are a very active family so we enjoyed being outdoors and exploring nature.
Helena was great. She had every thing planned perfectly. But I may have chosen a different hotel in the Algarve and booked shorter tours.

The trip was fantastic. We had an amazing trip with many experiences, but also some downtime to explore and do a few things on our own. Luis was wonderful to work with, as well as the rest of the team. The only suggestion we have about any improvements would be related to the way that the information was viewable related to our customized tour. The website interface was wonderful about the details of each day's experience, but that view lacked some of the necessary details that we needed to stay organized; not all information is in one place. For example, we needed to get to the train station to pick up our rental car. One view stated "0900" but somewhere else it said "0900 to 1100". It wasn't clear to us that there was a time limit on the arrival time for this; I assumed we booked it and it was paid for, so why would there be a time limit? Adding a few details such as that would be helpful. In Santiago, our wonderful hotel was in a section where no driving was permitted. We did not know that ahead of time and got frustrated trying to figure out where to go, where to park etc. Small details like this would have been an enhancement to the experience. Perhaps it's a limitation when you leave the logistics to visitors and not the seasoned locals! Everything that was NOT reliant on our limited logistical coordination skills was expertly organized. All of our local guides in the different cities- Alberto in Barcelona, Mirko for the Barcelona e-bike tour, Ivan in the Rioja region, Sandra in San Sebastian pixto tour, Gorka in Pais Basco, Joaquin in Galacia, Maria Jose in Santiago, Simon in Madrid tapas tour, and Hernan for our Madrid city and Prado tour- were wonderful! Truly, we can't say enough about how great the diverse experiences were and the overall luxury of the trip was phenomenal. Thank you for all that you did to organize a wonderful experience. I will use your services again when planning my next Spain trip.

We took a family trip to Spain to kick off our summer vacation. Luis did an amazing job and was very patient from the beginning. We went back and forth several times to get the details correct & he always responded in a clear & timely fashion. Once we worked out the details, he set up everything from airport travel & transport to hotels to booking tickets for all of our outings & activities. Luis checked in during our travels & made sure we had contact with all the vendors that were set up. No major hiccups and no unexpected issues arose. Luis & Hidden in Spain are very trustworthy & dependable.

Joel did an excellent job planning our trip. He listened to what we wanted and was flexible when our plans changed from a driving trip in the beginning. Joel also provided great support while we were on the trip when we ran into a couple hiccups that were totally beyond his control.
Our local guides were great, on time and very knowledgeable. I especially remember Natalie in Toledo and Maya for our Basque country trip to the cheese and cider making locations. But they were all great! Now if Joel can just find my suitcase that Iberia has lost.........

Hotel Reviews

Hotel de Londres & de Inglaterra

San Sebastian

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Miró

Bilbao

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iberostar Las Letras Gran Via

Madrid

Great location!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private tapas tour in Madrid

Madrid

While the guide was great, it didn't feel like the "tapas" we were expecting. We essentially sat down in 3 restaurants and had a single item in each place.

Private walking-tour with Royal Palace

Madrid

The guide was lovely, however the Royal Palace was closed that day so we couldn't go. We went to the Prado, where she spent way too long talking about a couple of paintings by Greco. We would have rather seen more in the Prado than the focus on a couple paintings. That said, she was a very good guide and very personable.

Excursion to Toledo

Madrid

Loved Natalie! She's a doll. She went at a perfect pace and was fun.

Full day excursion to Segovia & Avila

Madrid

Both good, glad we did them.

San Sebastian private walking tour

San Sebastián

Amaya was terrific. Great overview of San Sebastian!

Pintxos tour & Wine in San Sebastian - Small Group Tour

San Sebastián

We were glad we did a small group (rather than private) as it made it more fun. It was a great group. ....we went to 5 places!

St James Way half-day

San Sebastián

It was raining, so we did plan B....a train trip to a different spot up the coast. Great guide, who we had for tomorrow as well...Anna.

Excursion to the French Basque Country

San Sebastián

This was a really fun trip....highly recommend it!

Excursion to the countryside with lunch

San Sebastián

Loved Maya....she was so enthusiastic about the area and preserving the small farmer culture that it really made the trip enjoyable.

Bilbao Walking Tour & Guggenheim Museum

Bilbao

Another great guide....though her name is one I can't pronounce or spell! She was a great guide for the Guggenheim, gave really good perspectives.

Dalia was amazing. She curated an amazing itinerary. The Gran Melia Palacio in Madrid was a beautiful hotel with the best service. San Sebastián was a must and the pintxo tasting tour was superb. The Nixe Palace in Mallorca was perfect. Overall a terrific trip! Thank you!

Activity Reviews

San Sebastian: City center & pintxos tour

San Sebastián

Our guide, Itzsia (hopefully I’m spelling correctly) was amazing! She also was helpful for kid friendly options! The food was so good!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Sailing Along the Coast of Mallorca

Mallorca

Was simply amazing! Great guide! Beautiful and so relaxing. Trip highlight!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Modernist Barcelona: Gaudi's Highlights

Barcelona

We can’t even begin to express what a wonderful Spain trip Luis planned for us! Each and every tour was led by a warm and friendly guide who welcomed us into their region and culture. The food was AMAZING and everything was arranged and punctual. It really made our first time in Europe easy. Luis checked in throughout our trip and made sure everything was going smoothly! He even send a box of goodies to our hotel on our last evening. This was a 12/10 experience for our family! Thank you so much Hidden in Spain!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Don Paco

Llanes

Great hotel with a wonderful location. Breakfast was delicious and staff was warm and welcoming! A great place to stay in Llanes!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel del Oso

Camaleño Cantabria

This was by far one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in! The location is quiet and beautiful. The staff, food and rooms were all amazing and the 3 St. Bernard’s outside made it feel like home! If you are in the Picos de Europa area this hotel is a MUST!

Authenticity & Character

Location

lol

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arrizul Congress

San Sebastian

Gorgeous hotel in a nice location. It would have been nice if breakfast were included.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petit Palace Arana

Bilbao

This is a really unique hotel with amazing views of Bilbao. The breakfast was delicious and the staff were kind. The one hard part was that there was no place to park your car to unload your luggage so we had to park a long ways away and drag our luggage across a very busy plaza.

Authenticity & Character

Location

No place to park and unload your luggage.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Urquinaona Plaza

Barcelona

Beautiful hotel right in the middle of bustling Barcelona. It has a very lovely rooftop plunge pool and lounging area where you could relax and order food and drinks.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bike tour: the coast of Asturias

Llanes

We had so much fun biking along the Asturias coast. The beaches and views were amazing and our guides did a great job adapting to all of our needs! It was a wonderful experience that we would highly recommend to anyone looking for a great workout with amazing scenery!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning

Cosgaya

This was a once in a lifetime adventure! Our whole family had so much fun and felt so taken care of and safe!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guggenheim tickets (and guide)

Bilbao

The Guggenheim in Bilbao is a gorgeous museum full of unique art.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From San Sebastián to Bilbao (or viceversa) along the Basque Coast

Spain

The drive from Bilbao to San Sebastián with Jamie was wonderful. He took us to some amazing spots that were not filled with tourists. The conversation with him was delightful and he shared so much Basque history. We ended the day with a delicious seafood lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rioja Premium Wine Tour

Spain

Our trip to Rioja wind country was gorgeous. Our guide, Diego, was a joy to talk with and made sure we had a wonderful time sampling all the amazing g wines of the region.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pintxos Tour

Spain

Our Pintxos tour in San Sebastián had some of the most amazing food we ate on our whole trip! Veronica was a wealth of information about the food, customs and history of the Basque people. We had such a fun night of food and laughter! We would have never known how to get the best Pintxos in town without this tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Hiking the Camino de Santiago Trail

San Sebastián

We had a wonderful hike along the Camino de Santiago trail with Ane. It was a gorgeous 7.4 km hike and the lunch at the end was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gourmet Tapas walking tour & Flamenco show

Barcelona

The Flamenco Dancing and music was beautiful and must see if you are in Barcelona. We really enjoyed the tapas in a private room at the restarting at the end of the evening!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour of the Old Town was difficult to hear at times.

Transport

Full Day City Tour & Gaudi (incl skip the line Tickets for Sagrada Familia & Parc Güell) - GROUP

Barcelona

This was a whirlwind tour of Barcelona. Many sites packed into 8 hours. Our guide was lively and told many interesting stories. I would have loved some more time in Park Guell. It is such an amazing place!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport