Kimkim Trip Reviews for Spain

Our trip to Spain was amazing! Our hotels were lovely. The travel within Spain was convenient and efficient. We loved all of our guided tours and activities. The absolute highlights of our trip were:
1. Private tour of Cordoba with our tour guide Guido. Guido was so knowledgeable, well mannered, and kind. We felt as if he really listened to what we were interested in, and adjusted his tour accordingly. We loved the Mosque Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter and synogogue. He recommended a great Moroccan restaurant.
2. Private tour of Ronda with Manuel. Manuel was also very knowledgeable and really fun. He gave us the right balance of guided tour and free time. We loved the Natural Park Sierra de Grazalema and Ronda.
3. Tour of Caminito del Rey. This hike was amazing. It was challenging enough (but not too hard) and the views were spectacular.
4. La Alhambra is a must-see. Absolutely breathtaking!
5. We loved the e-bike tour in Madrid. It was really fun, and a great way to see the city.
6. We really enjoyed our museum day - the Reina Sofia and the Prado.
7. Our wine and tapas tour in Malasana was amazing! Amy was a great guide who curated the food and drink of the area perfectly. The 3+ hours went by so quickly. She was fantastic.
The only negative was the written materials we were given. There were a lot of inaccuracies in our itinerary (times, activities, items included, pick-up and drop-off points), and many of the recommendations were outdated (several restaurants were no longer in business, hours listed for sites and businesses were incorrect). That was disappointing and not what we've come to expect from kim kim vacations.

Hotel Reviews

H10 Casa de la Plata

Sevilla

Lovely, well located hotel. Helpful staff. Great breakfast.

Tips for future travelers

There is a pool. Bring a bathing suit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palacio de Santa Inés

Granada

Friendly staff. Well located. Charming, but a little older and less amenities than the other hotels on our itinerary.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our shower was broken, but they fixed it right away.

Eurostars Hotel Plaza Mayor

Madrid

Very nice and clean hotel with a friendly staff. It is located in a high-traffic, tourist neighborhood and maybe we would have preferred staying somewhere in Madrid with more character.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Off-the-beaten-path City Tour

Seville

This was a lovely introduction to Seville on our first night.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tapas & Flamenco night

Seville

It was not clear from our itinerary, but this was the same thing as the walking tour. It was listed as two things, but it was really one and the same.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day tour to Córdoba

Seville

This tour was a highlight. We loved our guide Guido.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day tour: Ronda & White villages

Spain

This tour was a highlight. We loved our guide Manuel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caminito del Rey

Seville

This hike was one of the best activities we did on the whole trip. Beautiful views, challenging hike, and knowledgable and fun tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bus was very comfortable.

Sacromonte and Albayzin tour

Granada

This was a very interesting way to see the city on our first night. The guide was very nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alhambra Tour

Granada

The Alhambra is a must see! This was a great day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Essential Madrid bike tour

Madrid

This tour was so much fun! A great way to see the city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Toledo

Madrid

Not applicable. This activity was eliminated from our itinerary. We would have loved to do it, but we ran out of time.

Tickets for museums & monuments

Madrid

The timed tickets were helpful. A private guide was recommended, and we declined. Once there we felt validated in that decision because a private guide was not necessary.

Quality of Experience

Tapas in Malasaña

Madrid

This tour was one of our favorite things about our trip. It was absolutely the best food we ate the whole time we were in Spain. Our tour guide Amy was so lovely, knowledgeable, and personable. She curated a beautifully diverse menu and drink selection. Absolutely top notch!

Quality of Experience

Food

Our tour guide Amy was spectacular!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Airport transfer (return)

Spain

Our driver was on time and very efficient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The whole experience was easy and the perfect blend of activity and relaxation . Beatriz worked with us the entire time to ensure we had the perfect honeymoon. From the guides at La sagrada familia, el real Alcázar, and the Alhambra to the romantic winery picnic or sailboat experience with Spanish guitar it was all perfect and beautiful. Bea would send us messages and check in with us, and also give us local recommendations along the way. She even told all of the event planners it was our honeymoon so we had extra surprises along the way, like champagne when we checked into our hotel. All in all, would definitely recommend using Kim Kim and especially Bea. Thank you so much!!!

We had an amazing trip. The whole experience from initial contact to the return flight home was memorable. Working with Marina was easy and quick. She is very knowledgeable and listens very well to what her customers want. She was very responsive and the tours, hotels and trip planning were fantastic. The first night stay in Obidos in the Castle was an unforgettable experience. The next day our guide Sandra in Portal was really good. Deep knowledge of the city and region and fun and full of energy. Recommend her to everyone. The next day tour and river cruise on the Douro River was great. Such a beautiful area and Rui our guide was very flexible and accommodating as well as knowledgeable. The drive to Lisbon was nice and Marinas suggested stops were great. Lisbon was wonderful and our guide Jose was again knowledgeable and very nice. Our cooking class with Lucilla was one of the high points of our Portugal experience. So much fun. The next day trip to Cascais, Sinatra and Estoril was very beautiful and nicely done. Our guide Paulo was fun and knowledgeable and was an excellent driver as well. The trip to Lagos was also beautiful and the caves and grottos incredible. The next part of the trip into Spain was also perfect. The flight to Bilbao was as planned and Bilbao was a very nice surprise! The area is beautiful and lush and green. The Guggenheim did not disappoint and the Food and wine tour with Ellie was great! The drive to Pamplona was again beautiful and the city was great. Then in to Magical Madrid. Our hotel was right on the Plaza Mayor and could not have been better. Geza our guide was very good and showed us all around the old city and Royal Palace including the changing of the guard. Our side trip to Segovia was very nice and the day trip to Toledo by train and our guide was very good as well.
We really enjoyed the trip, the food, the wine, the hotels and the guides. Congrats to Marina and her team.

Dalia is the best trip coordinator that we have ever worked with. A true all-star in her profession. We were trying to give our sons a 10-day overview of the south of Spain. We told her that we were going to have an aggressive schedule and that we wanted to cover as much as possible. From zip lining in Toledo to riding camels in Tangiers, Morrocco; from hot air ballooning in Cordoba to olive oil tastings and wine tastings in Montilla.....Dalia had us covered every step of the way. The lodging she recommended was exceptional. Every apartment and hotel exceeded expectations. And what can we say about the tour guides? Daniel in Toledo was like a long-lost older brother to our sons. Juan brought royal Madrid to life. And there was Said in Tangiers.....making certain that the city was magical and going the extra mile to ensure we did not miss our ferry home. We cannot wait to come back to explore in greater detail. I would recommend working with Dalia to anyone looking to visit the region.

Activity Reviews

Day trip to Tangiers

Spain

First and foremost, Said and Said (our Moroccan host and guide) made certain that we filled every minute of our day trip to Tangiers. The driving tour of the city was breathtaking. RIding camels on the beach was a once in a lifetime experience. The lunch in the old city was off the charts (don't miss the soup....even on a hot day!!!). Walking the markets, the spice stores, the synagogues of the old city was magical. My younger son had lots of questions and Said answered everything. We can't wait to explore Morocco further.

Quality of Experience

Everything

Food

The soup, the soup, the soup!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Said was the omniscient guru of Morocco!!!

Transport

Comfortable ride

Madrid Guided Tour with Royal Palace

Madrid

Juan was unbelievably knowledgeable and engaging. His passion for Madrid is worn on his proverbial sleeve. He recounted the history of bullfighting to my teenage boys and took them to the Madrid bullring. The tour of the royal palace was spectacular. But best of all was walking the streets and asking questions. Juan is a one-man encyclopedia. He took us to a special market that locals frequent for lunch. So much fun!!! He even helped us set up our own walking tour back to the hotel once our tour was over. Juan is an all-star guide and an all-star person!!

Quality of Experience

Juan Juan Juan

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As I said above, Juan was an all-star. His knowledge and passion is unmatched

Transport

Juan got us a comfortable taxi to ride around in

Toledo Day Trip with Private City Tour & ziplining (Self-drive)

Madrid

Is there a more energetic and passionate guide than Daniel? He is charisma personified. If so, I need to see it to believe it. By the end of the tour my teenage boys thought he was their long-lost older brother that we never told them about. His love for his hometown of Toledo is worn on his sleeve. The walking tour of the old city was a true walk through history. We loved every step. If you are coming to Toledo, Daniel is your guy hands down!!!!!

Quality of Experience

Daniel is the gold standard for all future guides!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

What I said about.....Daniel is a rock star!!!

Day trip: Montilla Hot air Balloon, Olive Oil & Wine Region Day Trip

Spain

What a day!!!! I always say that the people you meet and the experiences that you allow yourself to have are what make trips memorable. This will be a day that will stay with my kids forever. From our hot air balloon captain to our friends at Juan Colin (the kings of olive oil) to the winemakers at Montilla Moriles...you won't encounter finer people. And to top it off, you get to spend time with one of nicest people walking the earth in Dalia.....who opens this world of sensory experiences to all.

Quality of Experience

An experience that we will remember forever. A true sensory experience!!!!

Food

Olive oil, wine, Iberico ham........do I need to say more. Mind blowing!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dalia is the nicest, kindest person that we encountered on our trip. I cannot wait to come back to Spain and work with her again

Transport

The van was extremely comfortable!!!!

We had a fantastic mother/daughter trip to Spain. Marina and Kim Kim arrangements made it most enjoyable.

Tapas tour was great. Our guide Lindsey was accommodating, engaging and lots of fun!

Geza (our walking tour guide in Madrid) was terrific! We were on this tour the day after Real Madrid won the European championship —so excitement was in the air. He explained many historical facts and interesting nuggets of information we would have never known about on our own.

We took a train to Toledo for a city tour and zip line experience. Manolo, our guide, was also exceptional! City and cathedral were beautiful! He seemed to know almost everyone in the streets of Toledo. We especially enjoyed the many insights he had about the overwhelming artistry of the cathedral.
Our olive oil tasting gave us the opportunity to meet Laura (one of the most hard working moms in Spain😊). She and her husband work the olive grove that’s been in her family for many, many years. They’ve transitioned to organic and how “hands on” the complex process is to make organic Extra virgin olive oil.
I could go on and on it those are a few highlights of our 5-6 day tour.

Thank you Marina for all your patience, many helpful suggestions and tips.

Hotel Review

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

We stayed at roommate Oscar Nice large clean room Great breakfast Friendly accommodating staff Someone at front desk was fluent in English

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Visit of Toledo

Spain

Quality of Experience

Most everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Previously mentioned

Transport

Prompt and pleasant

My husband and I can’t say enough wonderful things about our KimKim experience in the south of Spain. From the planning stages with James who helped us create a personalized, exciting adventure, to the moment we were picked up by our driver Pepe in Malaga our Kim Kim experience far exceeded our expectations! We loved all our guides; Paco in Granada, Julian in Malaga, Juan in Ronda, Carlos on our day trip from Ronda to Seville, and Ana in Seville. Our favourite tours were when we had meals with our guides, Julian, Carlos and Ana. It was such a fun and enriching experience for us to learn the history and wonders of southern Spain through the eyes of our local and very knowledgeable guides. Thank you for helping us make memories we will cherish. Diane and Stephen.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Gravina 51

Sevilla

This was one of our favourite hotels on our Southern Spain trip. We loved the quiet location but within easy walking distance to all the important city sites. The decor was beautiful, the staff so helpful and friendly, the rooms were gorgeous and the welcoming bottle of cava a sparkling surprise, and the breakfast was absolutely the best we had on our trip!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula, Autograph Collection

Granada

This was a wonderful hotel close to city Center and walking distance to a large selection of restaurants and shops.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel had a modern exterior but well preserved interior. We were in a room with a view of the courtyard which was a converted convent. Our room had an original wood ceiling that had high slopes that made the spacious room feel bigger.

Location

Staff

The check in staff and the wait staff at breakfast were all friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was comfortable and room clean. The only thing I did not like was the strong scents the hotel used to perfume the.lobby. I found it very overpowering.

Catalonia Ronda

Ronda

This hotel was in a fabulous location over looking the bull ring and valley in the beautiful town of Ronda. The room was spacious and updated decor lovely. The staff friendly and breakfast good. The one thing I did not like about this hotel was the cleanliness of the floor in the bathroom. It was noticeably dirty and when I wiped it with a white washcloth the cloth was black with dirt. I asked the front desk to clean the floor but don’t think they did as the floor remained dirty. For me this was a real turn off! I was grateful they provided slippers as I would not want to walk on the floor in bare feet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom floor was dirty!!!

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Tour of the Malaga & the Picasso Museum with Light Tapas

Spain

The transfer from Granada to Malaga then Ronda was in a lovely Mercedes van. Our walk around Malaga which included a detailed tour of the Piccaso museum with Julian and our tapa lunch was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Granada

Our tour of Alhambra couldn’t have been more enjoyable or interesting. Our Guide Paco was extremely knowledgeable about the history of Granada and the architectural style of Alhambra. At the end of the tour he also recommended one of our favourite restaurants for lunch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit La Pileta Cave and a Local Winery in Ronda with a Special Lunch! (with Driver)

Ronda

Our driver was great, he was on time and the vehicle was clean and very comfortable. The experience of going into a cave with 40,000+ year old drawings was one of the highlights of our trip! The private lunch at the organic vineyard of Vertas with the personal tour and explanation of their wine making gave us a much better understanding of just how complicated and delicate this process is and the lunch and wines were delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Ronda

Ronda

Juan was a wonderful guide to explore Ronda with. Ronda is such an ancient and well preserved city high on a gorge with the most beautiful views. We particularly loved touring the hamman and the oldest bull ring in Spain!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to the White Villages and Sierra de Grazalema

Spain

Our guide Carlos and our driver made this day special. We first visited the cork forest where we learned all about how to make corks for wine, we then had walking tours of two white towns, a olive oil tasting and a fantastic lunch before being dropped of in Seville. Thank you for the fantastic day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Flamenco & Tapas Tour

Seville

Ana made our evening in Seville magical! Her choices of Flamenco venue and the two tapas bars were authentic and fun. It was a pleasure spending time with you Ana.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Complete Tour of Seville! On Segway and on foot

Seville

Wow, what a great day we had in Seville. We first did a walking tour of the old city center with Ana and then a Segway tour of the gardens, exposition grounds and La Taberna area with Miguel. Both guides were so friendly and fun to spend time with learning about this beautiful city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing trip. Patricia got everything perfect. She listened to our style of travel and totally deliver. She was available through the whole trip and was a great help when we had a minor accident with our rental car.

We’ve never had one on one tour guides before but it really made the trip special. In each new location we had a guide for a major museum or palace tour and they gave us the inside perspective you could never get without them. And the food tour in Madrid is a must. Can’t wait for our next trip yo Spain

Hi Sam. I know Judy has already sent her review. We had a marvellous trip and very much appreciated having KimKim work with Tailormade Andalucia to make our wonderful itinerary. We also appreciated all the planning and organizing done by you with regards to all the details of the trip. On a scale of 1-10 I would give our KimKim experience a 10+++ and on that scale I would give our experience with you and Tailormade Andalucia a 10+++ too. The trip was a perfect blend of sightseeing and free time. All of the stresses of planning such a trip were assumed by KimKim and by you which reflected the benefits of working with someone who lives in the region and has the benefit of planning trips for tourists. Rocia from KimKim was in contact with us regularly during the trip to make sure everything was going well and she responded quickly any time we had a question. We thoroughly enjoyed all of our tours and found the guides to be exceptionally knowledgeable ( Ana, Filippo, Diego, Maria, Jose, Joaquin and Teresa). It was great to meet you and we loved the tapas tour with you in Sevilla. All of the hotels were fabulous and each unique in their own way. The Hotel H10s were great (centrally located and spacious) and we really enjoyed our stay in Ronda at the Hotel La Fuente de la Higuera and at the Hotel Fuerte Conil in Conil de la Frontera. The hike with Filippo in Costa Brava was a highlight as was the gorge walkway in Caminito Del Rey. Touring the Alhambra in Granada and the Alcazar in Cordoba were definitely take-away memories. If you ever took a big trip as a kid and your parents did all the planning and organizing and you got to go and have fun and just enjoy the trip, that would be how working with you and KimKim worked for us. I know we will plan future trips with KimKim and I have certainly recommended them to friends who are thinking about travelling. I would definitely recommend Tailormade Andalucia to anyone planning a trip to southern Spain. You will not be disappointed. Thank you Sam for planning our amazing trip.

We had a wonderful experience on our trip to Spain. It was great to experience the culture, language and diverse history of various locations in Spain. Marina was very patient and helpful during the booking process. She was able to quickly give advice when we missed our train in Madrid. I'd also like to recognize the efforts of Vanessa at the Petit Palace Puerta del Sol for her repeated efforts to find us dinner reservations. We had personal guides in each city and all added tremendous insight and knowledge to what we were seeing. Special mention to Linda in Madrid, Yolanda in Toledo, Elena in Segovia, Ferran in Sevilla, and Sergio, who spent all day driving us around Andalusia, on our day trip to Ronda.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Trip!

Planning was meticulous and recommend trips were awesome.

James and the team at KimKim were absolutely spectacular in putting together a family vacation for us to Spain and Portugal. James listened to our goals for the trip and planned out an exceptional itinerary that fit every need from transportation every step of the way, to fantastic hotel selections, both in quality and location, to perfect excursions each day. He found a perfect balance of finding the right experiences for us at every stop while not trying to cram so much in that we felt rushed. In Barcelona, we had a fantastic bike tour with Olga, walking tour with Eli and amazing private cooking class with Rosa. Each representative was exceptional. Victor gave us a wonderful hiking tour around Palamos on the Costa Brava and Margeurida and Peter were awesome in showing us the beauty and history of Lisbon. If we could give more than 5 stars for the trip coordination, we would. My best recommendation would be we would use this team 100% again in the future. Thank you!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Aigua Blava

Costa Brava · Girona

This hotel location was amazing, right on the water and cliffs of Fornells just outside the town of Begur. The views were incredible as was the service of the staff. The rooms and everything about the hotel were spot on. We would stay there again every time. My only very minor nitpick is the need for some type of casual dining. We had dinner there one evening and it was great, like a high end restaurant. But on other days after a busy day exploring the area, unless you have a car or take a taxi into Begur, you need to have a fine dining experience on site. Again, very minor and overall this hotel is awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Marquês

Lisbon

A perfect balance of a nice hotel well situated in Lisbon but affordable and not over the top 5 star where you feel you want to stay there to enjoy all the amenities vs. explore Lisbon. The staff was very helpful, suggesting restaurants and helping us access and print all our Covid test results so we could get back to the U.S.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

H10 Madison

Barcelona

James at KimKim booked us at the Madison and it was perfect for our needs. The location was fantastic, just a block from the Gothic historic district and easy walking to all the sites and restaurants. The staff was very gracious, warm and helpful and all spoke very good English which made it easy on us. We would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Bike Tour of Barcelona

Barcelona

Olga welcomed us to Barcelona with our first experience in Spain. She gave a great tour, was very knowledgeable, incredibly friendly and spoke great English. It was a perfect way to begin our immersion into the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Olga was tremendous. Ask for her.

Transport

Private Tour of Park Güell & Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Eli (Elisabeth) was great to be with, giving us an in-depth tour into 2 of Barcelona's most famous landmarks, the Park Guell and Sagrada Familia. Both were amazing and Eli is an encyclopedia of knowledge of the sites. Even in times of stress when we couldn't find taxis to the sites (due to a Formula One race being in town), Eli ran all over to get transportation and make our trip a memorable one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ask for Eli, she's super.

Transport

A Cooking Class of Spanish Cuisine

Barcelona

After 2 days of seeing Barcelona, it was a ton of fun to relax for a few hours in a private cooking class with Rosa. She was tremendous, highly engaging, obviously incredibly knowledgeable about cooking, and it would be hard to not think she was an American, her English is flawless which made communication excellent. She found the right balance of getting everyone involved to their level of experience and interest and was a treat to be with for 4 hours. A big hit on our trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

We picked the menu but the food was so unique and different. A ton of fun.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

If you can arrange for a private cooking class with Rosa, make it happen. Well worth it.

Transport

Experience Lisbon Walking Tour

Lisbon

Marguerida led us on a half day walking, eating tour of Lisbon and it was a lot of fun. It was our first experience in Lisbon so it was fun to begin to get a little immersion into the area. She did a great job of showing us around despite being rushed by our need to squeeze in Covid tests to be able to return to the U.S. Marguerida is studying tourism in college and will do great in the field. Very personable and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Riverside Bike Tour

Lisbon

If you want a great history lesson of Portugal while taking in the sites of the riverfront area of Lisbon, take a bike tour with Peter. He's exceptional, gave us a great tour, is very outgoing and knows EVERYTHING about Portugal. All from someone who was born in England from Portugese parents and has returned to his family's homeland to teach others about the country. It was a fantastic day and great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Make sure to ask for Peter and get ready to learn things about Portugal you never knew.

Transport

Our recent family trip to Madrid and Northern Spain was my husband and daughter's first visit to the country, although I had been several times before. Despite this difficult-to-please audience—veteran Spanish traveller mixed with newbies, not to mention the short attention span of a 9 year old—James planned a wonderful trip to Madrid, Oviedo, Santander and Bilbao, complete with personalized walking and museum tours, a car for flexibility, and comfortable hotels. He was very receptive to my feedback along the way and organized just the right balance of free time to planned activities, and each of the walking tours planned was engaging. Highlights included a tour of Madrid's markets and tapas with Melinda (she was accommodating of our slower speed due to jet lag and connected well with our daughter); a private walking tour of the city and the Prado with Cristina (who tailored the activity to exclude sites we'd already visited and opened our eyes even to secrets of familiar Prado masterpieces); and an architecture- and art-focused walking tour of Bilbao with Esther (who was patient enough to allow for playground and snack stops).

The only activity that I would offer feedback on would be the tuk tuk tour in Madrid, which could have been more impactful (and less grueling than a walking tour!) if it was scheduled as an initiation to the city, the day we arrived/after an overnight flight.

We also appreciated having the help of Rocio while in Spain as our in-country concierge whenever we had questions during the trip.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Spain trip, have recommended Kimkim to our family and friends, and we're already thinking about the next trip they can help us plan!

Hotel Reviews

Iberostar Las Letras Gran Via

Madrid

This artsy hotel is very comfortable, has good breakfast included, and offers very helpful desk staff. Also very centrally-located.

Authenticity & Character

The literature quotes on the walls

Location

Gran Via, right in the middle of the city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Princesa Munia Hotel & Spa

Oviedo, Asturias

We received a smoking room, despite being non-smokers, and our clothes smelled of stale smoke for days after. Breakfast buffet was good though.

Hotel Miró

Bilbao

Centrally located near the Guggenheim, welcoming and helpful staff, and great breakfast options.

Authenticity & Character

We didn't make use of them, but they even had bikes & helmets available for use.

Location

Across from the Guggenheim

Staff

The concierge recommended a great pintxos bar and drew us a map.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They even offered kid-sized slippers and a robe for our daughter

Eurostars Hotel Real

Santander

We only stayed for a night; the room temperature was hard to control and the minibar options were lacking, though the breakfast buffet was impressive.

Tips for future travelers

Probably not the best fit for families with kids.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near the beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Walking Tour of Madrid & the Prado Museum

Madrid

Cristina tailored her walking tour to accommodate (and omit) the sites we'd already seen. She offered countless historical facts and trivia, and opened our eyes to even familiar works of art at the Prado.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cristina is a fluent english speaker and offered a wealth of historical knowledge

Transport

She included a short cab ride so we could have more time at the Prado

Working with James over the past two years (thanks to Covid!) was wonderful! He worked with us to plan a trip for our 8th wedding anniversary to Begur and Barcelona in May 2020, which we ended up postponing for two years, and turned into a 10th wedding anniversary trip! The accommodations he recommended and activities planned were perfect for what we like to do when we travel. We particularly enjoyed our time with Olga in Barcelona - she spoke perfect English, was entertaining and knowledgeable, and was very personable. Thank you, James, for a wonderful trip!

We had a great road trip through the north and northwest of Spain. Kim Kim provided us with local agents with local knowledge which really made a significant difference. Besides arranging tickets to well-known destinations such as the Sagrada Familia, Batllo House, Park Guell, etc. in Barcelona. They helped arrange unique walking and Pintxos tours in Barcelona and San Sebastian. If you like maritime history then you would also appreciate the Alboa Foundation and seeing the construction of a traditional whaling ship using original techniques. We really enjoyed the Agroturismo Casas that were arranged for us, although a couple of locations were a bit further off the beaten path than what we had expected; but nevertheless, very enjoyable and provided for a unique experience. We enjoyed visiting villages along the Camino and seeing places such as the Monasterio de Pietro park and all of the beautiful waterfalls, Bertiz National Park, and the Playa de Catedrales. The folks at Kim Kim stayed in touch with us on our journey to check in with us and were always available if there was a question or a need.

The planning process was easy and responsive using the online communication tools that Kim Kim provides.

Upon finding great online reviews about KimKim, we decided to go with them for our family trip to Spain. From the first contact to the last interaction, everything went smoothly.

We got excellent advise when planning our trip (it was our first time in Spain so this was important). Raquel -our local specialist- is very knowledgeable and, after making sure she understood our interests, she helped us design the perfect itinerary: Malaga, Granada, Sevilla and Madrid (including visits to Ronda, Setenil and Valencia) in 11 days.

The hotels were all very unique and -as per our request- historic or representative of the Spanish culture. They were all perfectly located in the historic centre, so we could easily walk to all the interesting places, and stay late for shows or drinks and walk back to the hotel easily. The service was excellent and the buffet breakfasts were superb.

Raquel also assisted us in choosing the right tours and activities to keep all the family happy and booking everything for us. We had the perfect mix of cultural, gastronomic and fun activities.

Raquel was also very diligent in making sure everything was properly booked (hotel, drivers, guides, tickets, etc.) and that each evening we had the relevant information/tickets for the next day.

The drivers were always very polite and helpful, and on time every single time. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. We could ask them all sorts of questions and they made each visit extremely interesting and informative. Bea -our tour guide in Seville- helped us have one of the best days during the trip. Federico was a wealth of knowledge when visiting La Alhambra, Tino was the best guide we could have had in El Prado museum, and Jaume in Valencia was a delight to spend the day with, just to name some, but all were fantastic.

I would definitely recommend planning and booking your next trip with KimKim. They took all the hassle and the stress of planning and travelling from us, we feel we made the most of our time in Spain, and we felt treated like royalty all the time.

Can’t wait until the next trip!

Patricia did a fabulous job of matching our itinerary to our interests. YTTSP gave us a local phone, preloaded with information we needed in case of questions. Only a few minor isssues occurred, and Patricia called right away to discuss the question and the solution. Her customer service is outstanding, and was very much appreciated on our first visit to Spain.

We spent 8 days touring 4 cities, and had incredible guides for all the important places we wanted to tour. Laura, who handled our tour of the Sagrada Familia and Guell Park in Barcelona, was a particular standout. Federico toured us through the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens in Granada with an incredible amount of background information and details drawn from poetry and letters written by the occupants and visitors of the time. Patricia handled all of our transportation, including flights, trains and drivers. Instructions were always clear and very straightforward. The hotels chosen for us were also standouts.

I highly recommend Patricia and YTTSP for a relaxing and rewarding vacation!

Here is what I posted on TripAdvisor…

We started to work with Luis on an itinerary and made many changes until we came up with a final version. Along that process, Luis was patient and helpful with great suggestions. Once we arrived in Spain, the hotels Luis booked were excellent and all very central and perfect for easy access to things tourists want to be near. We wanted a few tours included and I stressed that I wanted only “small group” tours. Luis found us perfect companies that specialize in small groups and in each case, the tour guides were excellent ! He was in regular contact with us along the way and when we had a few questions, he was quick to respond. Everything he organized for us worked perfectly !
I highly recommend Luis and Hidden in Spain!
Maureen R.
Vancouver

To the KimKim Team and James at Tailormade:

I have lost my survey email somehow but I cannot pass up the opportunity to tell you what a fantastic job James and Susanna did at the Tailormade Andalusia Team!

The customized itinerary was amazing, the accommodations perfect, the attention to detail unsurpassed, and the personal interaction and touches so perfect (and appreciated!). The drivers and tour guides were fun, interesting, well informed, and compensated for our lack of Spanish language with their English skills! With your assistance we discovered the friendly, historic, proud culture of Spain. Everyone made us feel like royalty!

What a great way to explore Spain! Thank you to everyone for making our trip so special. We would not hesitate to call you all again!

We really had great tours and guides. The cooking class was lord of fun with great instructors. Jospeh our hiking guide and Pedro our 4x4 guide did an excellent job as well. The can Alberti was an excellent hotel with great service

Hotel Review

Casa Albertí Boutique Hotel

Mahón

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Boquería Market Visit & Cooking Class

Barcelona

This was our first experience planning travel with kimkim and we will definitely use you again. The trip was really flawless due in large part to Marina and the kimkim team listening to what we thought we wanted to do and acting on, and enhancing, our ideas. Our local guides in Madrid (Geza, fun, enthusiastic, knowledgeable), Cordoba (Olivia, extremely knowledgeable, loved her visual aides), and Sevilla (Raul’s love of the city and the Alcazar really came through), were OUTSTANDING. Each hotel was more charming than the last and I am ready to move in permanently to the H10 Casa de La Plata in Sevilla. Gorgeous lobby, great room, A+ staff. The hotel staff in Madrid were also top-notch. We found the tour and olive oil tasting at Hacienda Guzman to be another highlight: our guide there, again, knowledgeable and engaging. But the overarching positive was Marina and her hands-on attention to every detail. She anticipated everything we needed and was readily available via messaging, even phone, on the occasions we needed anything while we were there. Marina helped us have the perfect introduction to Spain. We are grateful to have had her guidance throughout the trip.

Hotel Review

H10 Casa de la Plata

Sevilla

Location, lobby, room, bathroom, breakfast, staff members, were all exceptional. You really cannot improve on the location: walkable to so much shopping, dining, sites.

Tips for future travelers

Be aware that it is not accessible by car. Your taxi/Uber driver will need to drop you about a block or so away and you will walk through the narrow streets to the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful decor, elegant and updated.

Location

Staff

Very friendly, professional, accommodating, spoke excellent English.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfectly clean.

Activity Review

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Seville

Our private tour guide was engaging and knowledgeable. The tour and tasting were both so enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport