Caterina Belvedere

I'm sure I couldn't have done this trip without the help of Caterina and the other guides. There are certain things I would have done differently, however had I known, and which might be useful for other travellers in the situation of pushing a wheelchair. We almost didn't go to Venice but it was actually much easier in Venice than Florence to get around. I would not go to Florence with a wheelchair again. I would also choose and bring a wheelchair with me and not rent. The one that was rented was very small and difficult both to push and for my mom to sit in. The third thing I would do is to rent 3 double rooms and not 2 triples. We rented the triples as a money saver but it resulted in my mom being in a cot in many places which is okay for a child but not for the elderly. The car and driver were very helpful in many places but at other times we really didn't need them to sit for hours while we were in a museum or even to transport us a few blocks to the museum. It was great for driving around to viewpoints though. All of the tour guides were very flexible, helpful and knowledgeable. I also appreciated having the contact of Roberta at all times which I haven't experienced on previous KimKim trips. Svetlana in Como was relaxed and flexible which allowed us to have some time to just look around. Beatrice was indispensable for getting in and out of Venice smoothly. Alessia, in Venice made the trip for 11 year old Katie, with the costume she brought and the effort she went to to engage her. Alesia's dad even helped taking photos and walking us to a restaurant. They were both so warm and friendly. Cecelia blew our mind pushing the wheelchair around and ensuring my mom's comfort. The driver in Verona was also amazing. Both of them made our stay in Verona our favourite stop on our trip. Barbara in Milano, was super fun and also great at engaging Katie. We had the trip of a lifetime and made unforgettable memories with my mom, whose life long dream of visiting the homeland of her grandparents was finally realized.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Astra Opéra

Paris

Candy buffet!!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Turin Palace Hotel

Turin

Rooftop terrace and dining is amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palace Hotel Lake Como

Como

Difficulties checking in and getting appropriate rooms. Wheelchair accessibility was poor

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right across from the water with lovely terraces for dining.

Staff

The staff at the rooftop lounge were fantastic with my mom - so helpful and kind but the staff at the front desk were useless and didn't seem to have any idea what was going on. We spent hours trying to find a workable solution for my mom. They put us in two rooms with two beds one of which had stairs inside the room and the other of which was up stairs to get to the room. There was a narrow ramp that was okay for luggage but not for a human in a wheelchair.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The cot they brought in was dirty and not level and when we complained , they argued that it was fine.

Hotel savoia & Jolanda

Venice

View of the canal was spectacular

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff in the restaurant were quite grumpy and difficult.

Cleanliness & Comfort

One of the rooms was spectacular but the other room was badly in need of renovating and had horrible lumpy beds. The pillows in both rooms were rocks.

Grand Hotel Cavour

Florence

They advertise their rooftop bar but good luck getting on to it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Accademia

Verona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Between Juliet's balcony and the arena

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Uptown Palace Milan

Milan

Longish walk to things and construction in front

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nearby restaurants very limited and longer walk to anything than we were expecting

Staff

Super helpful opening doors for the wheelchair

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Venice walking tour

Italy

Private Water Taxi Transfer to Venice Airport

Venice

Everyone made this beyond easy for us

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided tour of Verona highlights

Italy

Florence and Accademia City Tour

Italy

We wished we had gone to the Uffizi on Sunday since it was closed on Monday. Seeing David was great but the gardens were recommended to us after which was a disaster with a wheelchair .

Day trip to Sparone & Calea

Turin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was incredibly flexible and helpful. We were so glad we had a driver for this.

Transport

Private tour of Milan Highlights

Milan

Tour was great and so was the guide. It was so helpful having a guide to negotiate the wheelchair accesibility. The driver sat around for quite some time before we sent him home. A cab to the square would have been better

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We didnt need this

Sirmione Highlights

Italy

Unexpected and beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wheelchair rental

Turin

Should have rented and brought with me

Quality of Experience

Private guide the Royal Turin: royal museums+chapel of the shroud and galleria sabauda

Turin

Museum was beyond our expectations. We didn't need a driver to drive us for 20 minutes on what was a five minute walk. We also didn't need him to sit around for 3 hours. We could have easily walked or taken a cab

Private boat tour of Lake Como - Explore Bellagio

Italy

Trip highlight

This was such a great find. All the activities that were booked were incredible - we kept waiting for one bad meal or one bad experience but each one was truly better than the last!

Hotel Review

Palazzo del Capitano – Wellness & Relais - Luxury Borgo Capitano Collection

San Quirico d'Orcia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private transfer to Tuscany via Chianti wine area

Italy

This was such an amazing day. Our driver was incredible. We arrived too early for an activity and our driver pivoted and last minute found us a something else to do prior to our planned wine tasting. That was the best day!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire trip was incredible, from Rome to Florence to the gorgeous golf resort, Castelfalfi! Beatrice met us at the airport and gave us so much assistance, navigating us through the busy terminal. First class service all the way. A special treat was our tour guide Gianluca, who was constantly telling us little tidbits about the city as we traveled on his golf cart tour. He captured great pictures of us around the city in various locations. Our day at Marco Simone Golf Course and Club was fabulous. The staff there attended to our every need. Beatrice led us to the train station and didn’t leave us until we were on our train. In Florence, we were met by Ms Lucia who led us to our new hotel in the heart of Florence. Our tour guide there, gave us a great three hour tour thru the city, visiting Michaelango’s David along the way. When it was time to leave Florence we were driven to the Castelfalfi resort. A little glitch with the transportation arose, but the hotel notified us there would be a fifteen minute delay, due to an emergency car repair. A new driver promptly arrived and led us thru the Chianti region as we went on a wine tasting tour and led to a fabulous lunch where we met a world famous butcher as he prepared each cut of meat we would taste! Lunch was superb and then we landed at the best resort ever. Castelfalfi not only had a great golf course, it was one of the best places we’ve ever stayed. The views from our room and from the patio and pools were breathtaking.
An amazing trip!! Kimkim delivered quality service. There were no unanswered questions and someone by our side as we traveled to our final destination- Amalfi. They even arranged our destination to coordinate with family members, so we would all arrive at the second week of our trip at the same time. I highly recommend kimkim to anyone traveling outside the country!!

Loved the agent who took our ideas for the trip.
Francesca and Maria were great! Lucy was amazing as were her friends who guided us in Pompeii and Naples.
Yes, Kimkim is expensive but ALL your needs, wants and every transfer is perfect!!
I used them for Madrid and Barcelona with the same perfect results.

We had a wonderful time during our trip. The boutique hotels (and attached restaurants) were excellent. We particularly enjoyed our guides in Assisi (Ms. Cinzia) and Rome (Ms. Simona). Weather was perfect all week, except for one rainy afternoon in Gubbio. Italians were all very friendly during our trip. We enjoyed the food and wine during our trip. Your representatives were on-time and helpful.

We were disappointed in Arezzo as it was Sunday, as the shops were closed, and churches had morning mass. We did not make it to Cortona.

GPS was amazing, could not have driven the routes without it, although a few times, it directed us in one way city centers! It was also a little confusing on where to drop the car off at the Rome train station.

In retrospect, we should have stayed in Rome one additional day as there is so much to see.

Thank you again.

Activity Review

Private Colosseum, Forum Tour & Palatine hill

Rome

Excellent Guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport