Anita Matijasevic

The country of Italy is beautiful, however, we had a few issues. We had one amazing driver in Florence/Tuscany by the name of Alexssandro. He was not only a fabulous driver, historian and friendly face, he went out of his way to help us when there was an issue dropping us off at our next hotel.
We also had two amazing guides on separate days who were outstanding. An
Art Historian who took us to the Ufizzi Gallery; and on a separate day, another guide who took us to Herculaneum/Pompeii. Both of these guides were full of information and answered any questions we had regarding the venues/history. There were a couple of issues with drivers however (not Alexssandro). Pick up points were not always confirmed and confusion ensued as we attempted to navigate new cities in an effort to find our driver(s). A suggestion - perhaps when drivers pick up passengers at train stations or airports, they could be holding signs with the names of their passengers, and always be met inside the stations/airports. Also, accomodations could be vetted better; and the itinerary should include either the name of the company providing the tour/adventure, or some kind of confirmation number. We had several situations where we did not know what company to look for and had to approach different tour guides in an attempt to find the one(s) we were assigned to. On the financial end of it, we were quoted a price which we agreed to pay. Later, we requested additional items to be added to the trip, (at an additional cost), and we agreed to pay the new quoted price. When we attempted to make a payment, the cost had increased by $50.00 with no explanation. When we inquired about the additional cost, we discovered that the price had increased again by an additiona $6.52. A rather poor explanation was given for the price increase. The $6.52 disappeared but the additional $50.00 did not. We are very disappointed by this lack of professionalism. When we are quoted a price and agree to it, that is the price we expect to pay. This sudden switching of prices leaves us with a negative impression of KimKim. If a mistake in the original quoted price is made, that should be absorbed by the company. A professional company would know this and ensure that the error is kept within KimKIm. We may not book another trip with this company due to this error alone.

1. Alexandro the driver in Tuscany was superb. He was very friendly and helpful and always seemed happy to go above and beyond what was required. When he dropped us at the hotel in La Spezia he made sure we could get in. He should meet us with a sign with our name so he is easy to find when we first met him at the train station in Florence.

2. The guide, Elena, to the Uffizi gallery in Florence was wonderful. She was friendly and very knowledgeable and made the viewings much more meaningful than if we had been alone.

3. We should be instructed to have a cell phone with an Italian number or have roaming on our phone as it seems to be vital to communicate

4. We should be forewarned of hotel tourist taxes.

5. The First Hotel in La Spezia was not good. It is an electronic check in. There is no front desk. Your instructions were to go to the front desk and have them arrange a taxi. We tried calling the hotel and listened to a recording telling us that the next available operator would take our call. It then hung up. We tried several times as we also wanted to report that the air conditioning did not work. It made for a very uncomfortable two nights. It would appear that this hotel was not vetted before booking us there.

6. We also tried calling the 24 hour number for Espíritu and could not get an answer.

7. The driver who picked us up at the Naples train station was very difficult to find. Our train was approximately 15 minutes late. I naively assumed the driver would know this. When we got off the train there were approximately 10-12 people standing in the arrivals area with name cards. None had our names. We tried to call the number given in the Trip Plans app but it did not work at all. We looked around for a while and then contacted the Espíritu person via messenger. He sent us the location of the driver. As we were unfamiliar with the area we had great difficulty finding him. We had to message the Espíritu person several times. It seemed that it was somehow our job to find the driver rather than the other way around. When we finally found the driver, I asked him why he hadn’t been at the arrivals area. He said that instruction was not in his contract. He seemed to feel that it was our fault that he had to wait an hour. He was not aware that the train had been delayed which he could easily have known if he had gone inside and checked the arrivals board.

8. The hotel in Pompei was very nice!

9. The guide to Pompei and Herculaneum, Viviana, did an excellent job of showing us the important parts and explaining the history of the locations.

10. The hotel in Sorrento was good. The location allowed us to easily walk to where we wanted. There was difficulty finding our driver when it was time to leave Amalfi. He initially went to the incorrect location. He was then trying to call an incorrect number. We had earlier informed our Espíritu contact of the only number that should be used to reach us while we were in Italy. We naively assumed that he would pass along that information to all of our upcoming drivers, guides, etc. When we learned that our Amalfi driver was still using the incorrect number, we made the effort to instruct our Espíritu contact to make sure that he passed on that piece of information.

11. Some of the drivers often did not display the level of service we expected from a KimKim trip.

12. The trip to Capri was enjoyable although we found it to be very crowded in most areas.

13. The exclusive guide (Francesca) on our first night in Rome was very good and provided an excellent tour and historical background on some major sights.

14. The colosseum and Roman Forum were very interesting and the guide, Manny, was very good. He was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions.

15. The gastronomical tour went very well. Our guide kept the tour interesting by giving us commentary on the food we were eating as well as the history of the places we went. It would have been better if she had introduced herself as we never learned her name.

16. The Vatican including the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica are amazing but very crowded. Our guide hurried us through and had poor English. The radios we were given for the tour were not very good quality. She also did not introduce herself.

17. The location of our hotel in Rome was central to the places we visited and so was a good selection.

18. In every case on this trip where we had to meet a guide it would have been helpful if we knew the name of the guide and/or the tour company in advance. Several times we had to ask various guides if we were supposed to be with them. They would usually ask us for a registration number which we did not have.

19. When we investigated this trip with KimKim we were quoted a price which we agreed to pay. Later, we requested that additional items be added to the trip and were quoted an additional cost. We agreed to the quoted price. When we attempted to make a payment, the cost was found to have increased by $50 with no explanation. When we queried the additional cost, we found that the price had risen by another $6.52. A rather poor explanation was given for the price increase. Then the $6.52 disappeared but the additional $50 remained. We are very disappointed by this lack of professionalism. When we are quoted a price and agree to it, that is the price we expect to pay. This sudden switching of prices leaves us with a very bad impression of KimKim. If a mistake was made in the original price quote, it is too late to make a change. A professional organization would know this fact and ensure that the error was kept within KimKim. Because of this fact, there is little chance that we will choose KimKim services in the future or that we will recommend KimKim to others.

Hotel Reviews

La Spezia by The First

La Spezia

Very difficult to get into. No front desk. No person on duty. Impossible to reach anyone.

Authenticity & Character

Better signage

Location

Staff

It would have been helpful if there were staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The air conditioning did not work and the phone number of the hotel answered with a recorded message and then hung up.

Hotel del Sole

Pompei

Excellent hotel. A spacious room. A great location.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely and roomy with great decor.

Location

Close to the Pompei ruins

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel del Mare

Sorrento

Great location within easy walking distance of everywhere we wanted to go. This hotel caters to the North American traveller.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helpful and always available.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Navona Colors

Rome

We did not stay at this hotel.

Activity Reviews

Visit of Uffizi Gallery with an Art Historian

Florence

A superb guide who knew the gallery and its art intimately.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver was superb

Tuscan Day Trip to Siena and San Gimignano with Lunch & Wine Tasting

Florence

The towns are nice and worth a visit. The wine at the vineyard was mediocre.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting and Typical Tuscan Lunch in San Gimignano

Italy

Lunch was good but the wine was mediocre

Quality of Experience

A better winery

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Sunset Cruise

Cinque Terre

A great experience. It included swimming in the Mediterranean and barbecued prawns and swordfish prepared on the boat. One of the best meals of the entire trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to Pompeii with Archeaologist

Italy

A fascinating place with a tremendous amount of history learned. A knowledgable guide.

Quality of Experience

The guide observed that a cruise ship had docked that day and reversed the order of our excursion so that we were not so crowded.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Sunset Cruise

Italy

This was probably a great cruise for most but the sea was quite rough that day which made me seasick

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After the trip the driver who came to pick us up went to the wrong location. He was trying to reach us at a number that was no longer in service even though we had instructed the trip organizer of the only correct number that should be used.

Colosseum & Roman Forum Visit: Arena Access, Gladiators Gate & Ancient City

Rome

A good guide although we had difficult finding him as the meeting point is for several different tour groups and we were not given any information as to the name of the company or person leading the tour. The colosseum and Roman Forum are very interesting to see although both are quite crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked

Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome

These are both amazing places but very crowded. We were rushed through much of the museums and did not get much time to appreciate all that was there to see. The Sistine Chapel is so crowded that it is difficult to move.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide did not introduce herself and spoke poor English. The radio transmitter/receiver systems we were given to use so that we could hear her explanations and instructions were poor quality.

Transport

We walked.

Exclusive Private Guided Visit of Rome Highlights

Rome

An excellent guide. On this occasion we were told the name of the company that was providing the tour and the guide met us at the designated location with a sign indicating who she was.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience

Rome

Once again we were not given any information as to who our guide was or what company was providing the tour which made it difficult to find our guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

An interesting set of foods in various locations made this a worthwhile experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was wonderful as she gave us history lessons of the areas we visited as well as the food we were eating. She did not introduce herself.

Transport

We walked.

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

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

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

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

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

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Orto De' Medici

Florence

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

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

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Mozart Rome

Roma

Great location. A little small. No views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Breakfast staff was very attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Atmosfere Guest House - 5 Terre e La Spezia

La Spezia

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

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

Staff

Little contact with staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albergo Marin

Venice

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

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to all districts

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked

Guided Visit of Florence Including David and Duomo

Florence

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Tuscany: Chianti Winery Visit & San Gimignano

Italy

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Sunset Cruise

Cinque Terre

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

Quality of Experience

Food

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

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Danny was very knowledgeable about all 5 villages.

Transport

Venetian Lagoon Experience: Rowing in Venice

Venice

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I have a lot to say about the month of July spent in Italy - it has been hard to put into words in my review of the services I received and the coordination that Anita Matijasevic provided. The communication was clear and very suited and tailored to my style - Anita was open to listening, and accommodating to my train of thought, let alone my requests. I revised an itinerary with Anita until it was basically perfect and encapsulated everything I had in mind to do and see. She also arranged with perfect rooms for me as a solo traveler, in great locations either super convenient or in prime locations or, basically always.. Both! All of which was excellent situated into my budget. Everything about the stays had their charm and I appreciated where I stayed in every city I settled down in for adventures and experiences.
In a summary of my travel; I landed in Italy for my first stay in Venice. I traveled onward for Florence where a Cinque Terre day trip was also part of that trip. My next stay was in Rome. And from there I visited Naples which included the Amalfi Coast AND Pompeii! Transportation from city to city was effortless with train tickets all in order prior to travel.
Everything worked out. Everything exceeded my expectations.
That is all due to Kimkim, to Anita, and to being a traveler ready for excitement, adventure, and receptive of everything that comes in being somewhere new.

I have been asked many times now, "what was my favorite part of the trip?"
I do not have a favorite, I have favorited each in my mind and journals each part of my travel having individually and respective appealing aspects. There was literally no complaints I have and that is rare, but genuinely true when I say it here.

Excellent guide in Madrid and Seville.
Accommodation close to city centre.
Well organised and seamless trip.
Great directions and meeting points in app.
Would highly recommend

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Reina Cristina

Granada

Good location Comfortable beds Near attractions and neighbouring towns

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Alcázar

Seville

Close to city area Rooms large Comfortable beds Good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Meninas

Madrid

Small room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

Enough time to see cathedral and Alcazar Knowledgeable guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train Seville to Córdoba, Self Guided Visit of Córdoba, Train Córdoba to Seville

Spain

Unsure where to go from train stationnbut found way

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gastronomic Experience in Granada

Granada

Good food There were 6 - 8 dishes not the 10- 12 mentioned in app

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

Excellent guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

Excellent guide Showed us nooks and crannies for best photos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flamenco Show in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

Close up to dancers Excellent show

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Anita, and the entire KimKim team, did a masterful job of organizing and executing our two week visit to Portugal. Travel staff put together an agenda which ensured we saw and experienced Portugal from top to bottom, and by the trip conclusion we had come to fully appreciate what makes this wonderful country unique. Perhaps, most impressive was the fact that if there was an item on our agenda, no matter where or when it was, the expected person, van, bicycle, kayak, boat, jeep, rental car, airplane, etc. was there right on time to take us to the next part of our agenda. Yes - some people may wonder if you could plan this trip without travel professionals like Anita and KimKim, and we did at the onset. However, we can say now with absolute certainty that our 2 weeks in Portugal could never have been so thorough, so eventful, and so memorable, had we not engaged with KimKim. We are most thankful for all the hard work and professionalism brought to our holiday experience and for the ways in which this made our Portugal visit truly special. We tip our hat to the excellent work of Anita and team.

Hotel Reviews

Legendary Porto Hotel

Porto

Location and staff were amazing! 10 out of 10. The particular room we were given was slightly dated but served us well overall and we appreciated having a nice outdoor balcony on our room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central to anything that you may want to walk to. Perfect

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean but perhaps needing a little update/reno on the room

Hotel Mondego

Coimbra

We spent only one night in this hotel but found it to be comfortable, clean, modern, and with very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tivoli Oriente Hotel

Lisbon

Beautiful hotel, modern clean rooms with helpful staff and a great bar up on the roof.

Authenticity & Character

Location

For some people this may be a great location but unfortunately we found ourselves constantly in a 30 minute Uber ride when looking to visit the sights of Lisboa. The hotel is in close proximity to shopping if that’s your thing but not in close proximity to the major attractions of Lisboa and as such it doesn’t lend itself well to walking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort Hotel

Funchal

We loved this hotel. Super friendly staff, great view, large clean room, and wonderful pools to swim in. The complimentary breakfast was the best of our entire trip. At first it may seem like there are not many restaurants nearby but an easy 5 minute walk puts you in touch with some great bars and food establishments, just need to go looking. Walking into the city of Funchal was possible from here and it was nice to be away from the noise of the city. Great choice for this property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Hands down the friendliest person of our entire trip was the nice lady who welcomes people to their breakfast table

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Beautiful, clean, modern hotel in walking distance from the Airport. Great for transfers but not great as a vacation destination property as it’s too far from most of the Lisboa attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Douro Valley Excursion with Wine & Olive Oil Tastings & River Cruise

Porto

What a breathtaking experience this was. The scenery was out of this world. A must visit for anyone coming to the Porto area of Portugal.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was OK and knowledgeable but unfortunately just seemed to be a little too “high energy” for the group he was driving. He was a young man, and I won’t quote his name in this review, but his aggressive driving was a complaint by a few people on the trip and we had asked him to cool it, made worse by the driver boasting about how little sleep he had had the night before. In the end his over the top enthusiasm caused his van to be in a minor collision with another car and everyone in our group could have predicted this far before it happened.

Transport

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

This was fantastic and in our opinion a must do for people visiting Porto. Our guide and all the restaurants who welcomed us were outstanding. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was amazing - actually better than amazing if that’s possible

Transport

Guided Visit to Porto

Porto

This was a great tour for us but we could see that it may not be right for everyone. We loved the up close experience we had to seeing the sights of Porto but in doing so you need to put your steep hill shoes on and be prepared to navigate some crazy streets and sidewalks. 100% ok for us but perhaps not for all. Our guide did a great job of looking after us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Porto

Beautiful, breathtaking, spectacular scenery and a wonderful guide

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Small Group Excursion to Sintra & Pena Palace

Lisbon

This one is a “must” for visitors to Portugal. It will be an entire day excursion in a van but worth every minute in our opinion. We were also fortunate to have a tour guide at the “expert” level and one that even had a plan-B for every delay or possible interruption we encountered. This trip could not have gone more smoothly. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner With Locals at a Local Home

Lisbon

This one experience made our entire 2 week visit to Portugal worthwhile. We were welcomed into the home of Sofia and Carlos and they immediately made us feel like family. We enjoyed a beautiful home cooked meal, we laughed, told stories, and were treated like friends. I cannot envision a more genuine experience when visiting Portugal and full credit goes to our hosts Sofia’s and Carlos for this night. This is not something that could be repeated by just any host - this couple is truly special and they deserve a huge thanks for being such great ambassadors for the wonderful country of Portugal.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon Up the Hills E-Bike Experience

Lisbon

This was a fantastic way to see Lisbon. However, it turned out that pretty much our entire bike ride was either flat or downhill. As a result, there was really no need for an e-bike. At the same time, it would have also been great to have an option, even at extra cost, to keep the bike beyond the tour for extra exploring. We saw so many sights and wanted to return for a better look and a bicycle is the perfect vehicle for the excursion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enchanted Terraces and Porto do Moniz Tour

Portugal

Great experience and extremely worthwhile. We had set off to Madeira thinking that we would need to do several different tours of the island to see the highlights. Lo and behold, this one day trip in an open jeep took us to almost everywhere we had wanted to go. It was perfect and if one has only a few days to spend on Madeira then this is a great way to have a condensed high quality experience. Our tour guide was funny, informative, a great driver, and went above and beyond for everyone’s benefit. Job well done here.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Garajau Nature Reserve: Kayaking, Snorkeling & Cliff Diving

Portugal

This was an enjoyable experience and we were most grateful to see the Madeira shoreline by kayak and then to snorkel in the protected waters of the Atlantic. The facility we left shore from was first class. Our only concern on this trip was that the nice young man who was our guide was really put in a very difficult position. He never complained or asked for anyone’s help but he was expected to single handedly launch, and then lift 75 lb. kayaks up out of the ocean, and pull them solo up a 6 ft ladder with just a rope wrapped around his arm. He wouldn’t let his customers (us) help him and it’s a miracle he wasn’t physically injured by his job. We felt sorry for him and his employer should be checked for creating an unsafe work environment. I think the young man didn’t want to complain and we sensed that he greatly valued the job he’d been given. Just a bit sketchy to watch.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is the first time we used kimkim for a travel experience. We weren't familiar with Portugal, so we relied on the advice of Katerina, Karin, and Anita to guide us with customizing the itinerary. We requested minor revisions to the itinerary which were accepted graciously. The final itinerary and instructions for traveling were detailed, organized, and complete. We felt very comfortable traveling to a country we never visited before due to the kimkim team's guidance.

While in Portugal, we had just a few minor "bumps", but we were very impressed with how the kimkim team responded and immediately made adjustments. They did everything possible to ensure we were safe, happy, and cared for while traveling. We want to say, " thank you", to our tour guides and drivers; Emmanuel, Clarissa? and Rui. We asked for Rui again because he went above and beyond for an amazing experience! in Porto, Felipa, Ricardo, and Nuno who also went above and beyond to show us the beauty and provided so much education about Portugal.

To summarize, we look forward to planning many more trips in the near future with kimkim. We highly suggest taking their suggestions and requesting what is important to you. The kimkim team will make sure your traveling experience will be truly memorable!

Thanks for the wonderful Portugal experience!

Hillary and Michael