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Rene Rodarte

I'm a Mexican who loves to travel, stay in touch with the environment and learn from the different cultures around the world!

I believe in travel as a tool for positive development. My country is one of the most visited places in the world, why not make it the best experience possible for everyone?

I'm looking forward to hear about your ideas so that, together we can create a fantastic itinerary for you!

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I have visited almost every region in Mexico, I do consider myself an specialist for the country.

I always aim towards integrating activities of responsible travel in my trips. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"After university, I decided to travel a bit to explore more and get to know what I wanted to do with my life. I started working in tourism as a way to look after myself and stay close to what I love, and never left. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"One time I headed to the jungle of Lacandona, in the south of Mexico and right in the border with Guatemala.

Unfortunately, my booking for the accommodation was lost and I had nowhere to stay for the night. No internet to book anything, no way of calling and contacting someone to get assistance.

The local Lacandones told me about Chambor, a local spiritual guide that also has a small hotel. We hiked to his place and he received me with open arms, I stayed for one night and during dinner he joined and shared with me his history, traditions and beliefs. I am very grateful to have met such great people in a time of need and became one of my favourite places to visit. "

Rene is part of the following groups: Mexico Travel Agents, Mexico Family Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Rene

Tonalli with eat mexico was so fun and enthus...
Mexico | Nov 28 - Dec 7, 2024

E
Elizabeth C.
Canada | Reviewed on Dec 16, 2024
Tonalli with eat mexico was so fun and enthusiastic!!
The chinampas with Gabriel was unique and so informative. Bikes and munchies was a fantastic bike and food tour in the city.
Luis in teotihuacan and again in Amanalco was very informed and enthusiastic. Loved the alpine cabins.
And Aaron and Irving with Unlimited guiding us to Popocatepetl were topnotch. Went above and beyond with extra driving duties.
Aand to top it off with the luche libre on our last night. Unforgettable.
Read more

Tonalli with eat mexico was so fun and enthusiastic!!
The chinampas with Gabriel was unique and so informative. Bikes and munchies was a fantastic bike and food tour in the city.
Luis in teotihuacan and again in Amanalco was very informed and enthusiastic. Loved the alpine cabins.
And Aaron and Irving with Unlimited guiding us to Popocatepetl were topnotch. Went above and beyond with extra driving duties.
Aand to top it off with the luche libre on our last night. Unforgettable.

Activity Reviews
Be amazed by the pre-hispanic beauty of the chinampas in Xochimilco
Be amazed by the pre-hispanic beauty of the chinampas in Xochimilco
Mexico City

unique and unexpected part of mexico city

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
gabriel was very informed, gentle and easy to be with
Transport
Bike tour around the most hipster neighborhoods
Bike tour around the most hipster neighborhoods
Mexico City

guides were incredible looking after a fairly large group through the street of mexico city.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hike in the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park
Hike in the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park
Mexico

Aaron was excellent guide and Irving, driver was very good driver on difficult road

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Aaron and Irving drove us an extra 2 hours when our other driver didnt show up.
Transport
Lucha Libre Experience & Mezcal Tasting
Lucha Libre Experience & Mezcal Tasting
Mexico City

so fun and different

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
guide was fun and engaging
Transport
was no transport
Private Experience: Tacos, Chelas & Mezcal in Narvarte
Private Experience: Tacos, Chelas & Mezcal in Narvarte
Mexico City

Tonalli, our guide was so enthusiastic and street food was top notch. We went to places we never would have gone without our guide.

Quality of Experience
guide was great and choies of food vendors good
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Cholula
Biking in Teotihuacán "The City of the Gods" & Overnight in Cholula
Mexico

unique experience and not expected to see pyramids in mexico city

Quality of Experience
unique
Guides, Drivers and Staff
excellent guide in luis
Transport
Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

MEXICO CITY 27 OCT TO 2 NOV 2024
Mexico | Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2024

WILLIAM
WILLIAM C.
Wilmington, NC | Reviewed on Nov 20, 2024
Luz Ma did great job of keeping us on task. Only had one problem 2nd day hooking up with trip to Mercado Jamaica but think this was our fault with unfamiliarity with transportation & difficulty/misinformation from Google Maps. Resolved subsequently by using UBER. Pablo Yuchi was fantastic guide/host for Tue 29 Oct/Thu 31 Oct trips to Mexico City/Museum of Anthropology; Xochimilco, Coyoacan, Museum Diego Rivera & Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo) Pablo was very well informed and communicated... Read more

Luz Ma did great job of keeping us on task. Only had one problem 2nd day hooking up with trip to Mercado Jamaica but think this was our fault with unfamiliarity with transportation & difficulty/misinformation from Google Maps. Resolved subsequently by using UBER. Pablo Yuchi was fantastic guide/host for Tue 29 Oct/Thu 31 Oct trips to Mexico City/Museum of Anthropology; Xochimilco, Coyoacan, Museum Diego Rivera & Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo) Pablo was very well informed and communicated fabulously. Montserrat was equally fantastic for our visits to Teotihuacan & Basilica of Guadalupe. Very well informed, helpful, accommodating and very easy to talk with. The Chef's table at Tezontle was excellent and a surprise for my wife's birthday (6 Nov). Food was excellent and chefs Jorge Sibaja & Ezequiel Garnica with their great staff were both very enthusiastic, informative and provided an exquisite tasting experience with great enthusiasm and kindness to our questions. The Emporio Hotel was fantastic and an ideal location. Service, food and attention to details was stellar. Only negative experience was the disappointing restaurant Balcon del Zocalo which was way overpriced with poor to mediocre food. My wife and I were very disappointed and felt this was very overrated.

Hotel Review
Emporio Ciudad De México

Great location, excellent service and food. Very thorough and accommodating

Authenticity & Character
Fantastic food and service. Wait staff and maitre d'hotels are very attentive, conscientious and helpful
Location
Best location to get most places in Mexico City
Staff
Excellent
Cleanliness & Comfort
very well attended
Activity Reviews
Explore the historic center of Mexico City and the Museum of Anthropology
Explore the historic center of Mexico City and the Museum of Anthropology
Mexico City

See my review

Quality of Experience
Overwhelming without guide
Guides, Drivers and Staff
excellent service all aroung
Transport
timely and as efficient as possible considering Mexico City Traffic
Day of the dead Experience at Mercado Jamaica
Day of the dead Experience at Mercado Jamaica
Mexico City

Cannot assess. Missed this. Group not helpful in helping us get to there location

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit of Teotihuacan and the Basilica of Guadalupe
Visit of Teotihuacan and the Basilica of Guadalupe
Mexico City

Monserrat was excellent guide and extremely helpful and informative with both Teotihuacan and Basilica

Quality of Experience
Fantastic at both locations. Teotihuacan is a must see
Guides, Drivers and Staff
guide and driver were superb
Transport
Great. Unfortunately car broke down and had to get UBER from Basilica
Cut your own Cempasúchil flower and enjoy the local gastronomy in Xochimilco
Cut your own Cempasúchil flower and enjoy the local gastronomy in Xochimilco
Mexico City

Very interesting with lovely surrounding and breakfast.

Quality of Experience
Very kind and informative farming couple with excellent breakfasr
Food
Very good organic breakfast
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Pablo Yuchi was great
Transport
Timely and comfortable
Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli
Visit the Museum Diego Rivera - Anahuacalli
Mexico City

Great visit much helped by our guide Pablo Yuchi who helped as effectively navigate this massive museum

Quality of Experience
Very informative about Diego Rivera and his life. Guide was essential
Guides, Drivers and Staff
guide and driver very helpful and attentivew
Transport
Driver was readily available and kept us on schedule
Chef's Table Experiencie
Chef's Table Experiencie
Mexico City

Excellent tasting with multiple dishes proudly offered by Chefs Sibaja & Guanica. Were not hurried and food was great presented with lot of enthusiasm and excellent support staff.

Quality of Experience
Chefs loved their offerings
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Great support from everyone. We were not rushed at all. Very casual.
Transport
Really provided our own transport via UBER
Explore the Casa Azul Museum
Explore the Casa Azul Museum
Mexico City

Very informative tour and display of Frida Kahlo's life. Guide Pablo Yuchi was very essential in bringing out highlights of this extensive museum

Quality of Experience
Very revealing. Recommend seeing move "Frida" with Salma Hyatt before
Guides, Drivers and Staff
excellent. Streamlined our visit of this extensive museum
Transport
Kept us on time. Comfortable transport
Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

Our KimKim experience was seemless! All of ou...
Mexico | Nov 9 - Nov 16, 2024

SARAH
SARAH F.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Nov 18, 2024
Our KimKim experience was seemless! All of our transfers and personal experiences were done with such wonderful guides, drivers and expertize. Rene worked hard on the itinerary with us and communicated closely. Gabriel from Rutopia Tours was our go to person for any concerns or issues and communicated with us daily! They selected interesting hotels with Mexican character and charm for us. The only drawback for the charming Hotel Corazon Mexicano was the steep hill to get to it, but what... Read more

Our KimKim experience was seemless! All of our transfers and personal experiences were done with such wonderful guides, drivers and expertize. Rene worked hard on the itinerary with us and communicated closely. Gabriel from Rutopia Tours was our go to person for any concerns or issues and communicated with us daily! They selected interesting hotels with Mexican character and charm for us. The only drawback for the charming Hotel Corazon Mexicano was the steep hill to get to it, but what views! Try to get an exterior room. The only drawback of the lovely Petra Hotel was it advertized having breakfast included but that was out of date info. We loved our knowlegable guide Luis in Teotihuacan and Angela who drove us from Mexico City to Teotihuacan and then on to Guanajuato. Susana Ojeda from Rutopia Tour gave us a History Tour of Guanajuato and was wonderful! Her father Antonio gave us a Street Food Tour along with more history the next day. Both took such good care of us and were flexible and such fun. Mario drove us to San Miguel de Allende and we had a nice historic tour of the town with him after seeing the lovely Mask Museum, a real gem thanks to the setting and host, Bill. In San Miguel de Allende, Ana from Coyote Canyon Adventures took great care of us. We loved Frederico with Horseback Riding for 2 of us and Brittany with interpreting for the Cooking Class for the other 2. We also loved Alfredo who took us to the Sanctuary of Atotonilco and he was flexible enough to detour to see the murals of Guadalope and sit and have some great local street food with us. We had fun with them all! Thanks KimKim for making this a memorable vacation!

Hotel Reviews
Hampton Inn & Suites Mexico City
Mexico City

Great location a few blocks from the Zocalo, right in the historic center. Clean, lovely hotel with breakfast included.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Corazon Mexicano
Guanajuato

What a fun, charming and quirky hotel. Steps going up and down and around corners for interior facing rooms and exterior rooms, some with terraces and amazing views. The breakfast is wonderful on a terrace with a view. They went out of their way to accommodate us and made a room change for us when my sister was fearful of some stairs in the room. It's just a minute walk to the street which is narrow and steep, the only drawback for someone with arthritis.

Authenticity & Character
Quirky rooms, old building with lots of character.
Location
Just a 6-7 minute walk down to the historic center, very close to the Mercado.
Staff
They went out of their way to accommodate us and were always available for questions and recommendations.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean and comfortable beds. The only thing that would have enhanced the rooms was to have bedside lights.
Hotel Petra
San Miguel de Allende

I really enjoyed the quiet courtyard, the friendly staff and the super large rooms.

Authenticity & Character
Nice courtyard with places to sit and take a break, pretty lighting at night. Tall ceilings and comfortable beds.
Location
Just a few minutes to walk to the historic center.
Staff
They checked in with us on WhatsApp to see if we wanted our rooms cleaned!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

We had several stand out guides and experiences!
Mexico | Oct 7 - Oct 27, 2024

S
Sara P.
Windsor, CA | Reviewed on Oct 28, 2024
We had several stand out guides and experiences.
San Miguel de Allende
. Alberto in San Miguel de Allende made us feel very welcome and gave us a great overview of the town.
. Tour with Aldo and driver Raul of Guanajuato was also excellent.
as you know Hotel Petra has seen better days and was not comfortable. We cannot recommend it. We stayed a bit above town at Casa de Liza. It is delightful and the restaurant below has a good breakfast.
Bus was really comfortable getting us to...
Read more

We had several stand out guides and experiences.
San Miguel de Allende
. Alberto in San Miguel de Allende made us feel very welcome and gave us a great overview of the town.
. Tour with Aldo and driver Raul of Guanajuato was also excellent.
as you know Hotel Petra has seen better days and was not comfortable. We cannot recommend it. We stayed a bit above town at Casa de Liza. It is delightful and the restaurant below has a good breakfast.
Bus was really comfortable getting us to MXC.
Mexico City
. Dani was a good start for exploring the centro.
. the bike and explore Techtihuacan tour was just ok. Felt like the guide was disinterested and the lunch spot was very touristic.
. Emiliano was a terrific guide on the mural tour.
the AU bus was pretty basic We would have preferred the upgraded version in the same company which has a bathroom for the 2 1/2 hour ride..
Puebla
. we loved Puebla and thank Rene for including it in our itinerary... super clean and pleasant city all around.
. Aleyn was a great guide in Chalupa where we learned about all things corn and tried to make tortillas from scratch. Would like to have added a visit to the archeology site at the base of the buried pyramid.
. Guadalupe took us back into the country of Atlizto where flowers abound and started out search for all the Catrinas. So fun! The town is charming and full of history and pretty zocalo.
Oaxaca
. the long drive was broken up with a trip to the onyx factory (not much happening), the gorgeous cactus forest reserve in Tehuacan, and an interesting stop at the salt ponds. Our driver Ernesto was charming and super patient and our guide Alex was very kind.
. The stop at the tule tree was worthwhile and Alex our guide and driver is very knowledgeable. The ride to Hierve el Agua was long and we wish we had know to bring swimsuits. Stopping at the traditional mescal distillery on the roadside was a great addition.
We decided to forgo any more tours on the road and had a blast wandering in Oaxaca for our last two days.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Boutique Parador San Miguel
Oaxaca

the nicest place we stayed. very pretty hotel with an interior courtyard. We would stay here again.

Authenticity & Character
really pretty courtyard and the room had Oaxacan character
Location
close to the action adn on a busy street, but once inside the rooms are quiet.
Staff
super nice and helpful. they went out of their way.
Cleanliness & Comfort
comfortable bed, clean room and nicely sized shower.
Hotel Petra
San Miguel de Allende

lumpy beds and pillows. The place is rundown adn must have been charming at one time.

Authenticity & Character
Location
there are better places close to downtown.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Rosa Gran Hotel Boutique
Puebla

We enjoyed the location and rooftop restaurant. Our room had an amazing view of the cathedral and while there was a lot of street music outside, the room was quiet. The room was clean although a bit small for two people with luggage for a three week trip, but it is workable.

Authenticity & Character
the rooftop restaurant is great - has a lovely view. the room has a window that opens up to the street below. so you can see the action.
Location
right on the Cathedral Square and catty corner to the Zocalo
Staff
staff was nice, but not friendly. Our needs were met when we mentioned the smell of sewer gas in the sink.
Cleanliness & Comfort
the bed was comfortable , but the room is small and bathroom is small and there is a smell of sewer gas if the sink stopper is left open.
Activity Reviews
Monte Albán and the alebrijes workshop: an unforgettable experience
Monte Albán and the alebrijes workshop: an unforgettable experience
Oaxaca

we did not take this tour and we were tired of driving and wanted more time in Oaxaca.

Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Mexico City

so so. guide seemed to be "dialing it in", although the city of the Gods is awesome. Glad we saw it.

A Walk among Murals: Exploring the History and Legacy of Mexican Muralists
A Walk among Murals: Exploring the History and Legacy of Mexican Muralists
Mexico City

excellent guide...

Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Mexico

really fun tour, great time making tortillas. Would add a visit to the archeology center at teh base of the pyramid next time.

Exploring Atlixco: Puebla's Garden
Exploring Atlixco: Puebla's Garden
Puebla

Great guide through the backroad gardens and farms and looking for Catrinas all over the town. the guide was from a traditional village and had lots to share about traditions

Walk in a Cactus Forest: Tehuacán-Cuicuitlan Biosphere Reserve
Walk in a Cactus Forest: Tehuacán-Cuicuitlan Biosphere Reserve
Mexico

we are landscape architects so seeing this place like none other was fabulous.

Visit Mitla, the Tule Tree, a Mezcal Distillery & Teotitlán del Valle
Visit Mitla, the Tule Tree, a Mezcal Distillery & Teotitlán del Valle
Oaxaca

the tule tree, distillery were highlights. The drive to the boiling waters was long and we did not bring swimsuits - please remind anyone that takes this tour. We opted out of the weaving and Mitla visit due to time constraints.

City Tour of the historical center of Guanajuato
City Tour of the historical center of Guanajuato
Mexico

we really enjoyed this tour and going to off the beaten track sights. Our guide even added a trip up teh funicular which was not planned. we had a really great lunch where he suggested adn great coffee to start,

Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

I loved the itinerary and all the tour guides...
Mexico | Oct 5 - Oct 11, 2024

A
Alexis C.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Oct 18, 2024

I loved the itinerary and all the tour guides. It was such a wonderful trip including a city tour, food tour, a visit to Monte Albán and a hike to Heirve el Agua

Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

Poorly planned, overpriced, unhelpful and incredibly disappointing.
Mexico | Jun 4 - Jun 21, 2024

Amy
Amy B.
Spain | Reviewed on Oct 12, 2024
We booked our honeymoon through Rutopia via the KimKim platform. It was the worst decision that we made during the entire wedding planning experience. Rutopia claim to be in-country experts who know the towns and indigenous communities of Mexico. That couldn't have been LESS true. Almost all of the activities that we did were subcontracted through one, if not two, other companies. No wonder they charged us so much to do so little. Every single thing that Rutopia booked went wrong. I wish... Read more

We booked our honeymoon through Rutopia via the KimKim platform. It was the worst decision that we made during the entire wedding planning experience. Rutopia claim to be in-country experts who know the towns and indigenous communities of Mexico. That couldn't have been LESS true.

Almost all of the activities that we did were subcontracted through one, if not two, other companies. No wonder they charged us so much to do so little. Every single thing that Rutopia booked went wrong. I wish that was an exaggeration. Here are just a few examples:

- The hotel they had booked for us in Oaxaca was a glorified hostel that they had sold as a 4-star, luxury hotel with a pool. When we sent Rutopia photos of the water damage in the room and the hostel-like bathroom complete with torn shower curtain, they told us there were no other hotels in Oaxaca. A quick search showed it was in fact low season and most hotels were not only fully available, but discounted. We had to find and book our own hotel as Rutopia refused to offer any help or advice. When we asked if anyone from their team had ever actually been to the hotels they booked, they never replied. We were given a refund for the original hotel but this only emphasized how little of the over $10,000 that we had paid was being used to pay for our accommodation.

- On our first day trip (which started with a 3-hour drive (which we expected)), the driver wasn't given cash to pay for the toll road so we had to drive along the backroads over potholes and about a million speed bumps. It was only when we asked the driver why he was ignoring the instructions that his Google maps was giving him to get on the highway that he revealed that he didn't have the cash to pay the toll. We paid for it on the return trip and we were eventually reimbursed but, again, only after having to raise the issue with Rutopia. A $20 toll should be included in a $10,000 holiday.

- All of our transfers to the airport were booked 4 hours prior to the flight, leaving us more than 2 hours to kill at the gate, including for a 7 am flight. When we told them we don't need nearly that much time, the reply was that the transport company was busy and had to fit us in when it worked for them. We chose to cancel the remaining transfer and pay the $7 Uber to the airport instead.

- They even messed up the logistics on the experiences that are designed specifically by Rutopia (not subcontracted). On one day trip, they set the start time too late and we missed two-thirds of the activity. It was supposed to be an immersive amaranth experience starting with a nature hike followed by an amaranth cooking class and lunch. When we asked the hosts about the hike, they told us we'd arrived too late. The day trip turned out to be an hour drive, a "cooking class" that was about 20 minutes of mixing puffed amaranth with honey and making it into shapes with cookie cutters and then a homemade lunch of meatballs with amaranth as a thickener. The drive was longer than the "experience".

Every time something went wrong, Rutopia offered no help. We were completely on our own and had to foot the bill for their mistakes.

We decided to work with a travel agent for our honeymoon so we could relax and not have to deal with any potential issues. Sadly the only issue we had to deal with was a horribly incompetent travel agency who sold us a shoestring budget holiday for the price of a luxury vacation. Our initial experience was positive, we had a number of calls with a representative and we described what kind of trip we were looking for and the type of activities and hotels that we hoped for. Sadly it seems that this was just a front. Almost none of what we had spoken about was taken into account and a trip of a lifetime for 2 honeymooners who have travelled extensively before and are food lovers became more akin to a first time traveler's poorly planned budget holiday.

Hotel Reviews
Zócalo Central
Mexico City

Gorgeous location right in the heart of Mexico City. The view from the rooftop restaurant is incredible. Breakfast is spectacular. The rooms are full of character and very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Oaxaca Real Hotel
Oaxaca

If you are travelling on a budget, this is likely a good choice instead of a hostel. If you are looking for a nice place to stay, definitely look elsewhere.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Fives Oceanfront
Quintana Roo

Beautiful hotel with a fabulous rooftop pool overlooking the sea! Great snorkeling trips leaving right from the beach. Easy walk to incredible local restaurants! Breakfast is fabulous. Rooms are big and very comfortable. The travel planner we worked with did not want us to stay at this hotel and we had to specifically request it.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Real Maestranza
Guadalajara

The hotel is quite old and a bit run down. It is right in the heart of Guadalajara but in an area that is abandoned after dark. The reception said it was not safe to walk out of the hotel after dark and insisted we take taxis or Ubers from the door of the hotel. Would not stay here again and definitely would not recommend it.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Chef's Table Experiencie
Chef's Table Experiencie
Mexico City

We loved this!! It was so cool to sit right at the kitchen and see each of the dishes being made while the chefs themselves explained how they were cooking them and told us about the ingredients they were using. The food was FANTASTIC!! Rutopia booked the vegetarian menu for us which was a bit odd as we are not vegetarians. But we love vegetables so it was delicious!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Dining recommendations in Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos

We were given 3 restaurant recommendations and they were the most touristy spots in the whole area. We ended up not going to them as they didn't have any of the local foods on the menu and were about twice the price of everywhere else in town.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit a peaceful cenote and enjoy traditional mayan food
Visit a peaceful cenote and enjoy traditional mayan food
Mexico

The cenote was very cool. We came here after a long (and very hot!) morning at Chichen Itza. We had about 30 minutes to swim before lunch. It was very refreshing! The food was fine but nothing special. No one explained anything about the food or why it was traditional. This is just a self-led swim followed by a set menu at a restaurant.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Chichén Itzá: A Wonder of the Mayan World
Explore Chichén Itzá: A Wonder of the Mayan World
Chichén Itzá

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and we learned so much! The drive was long (which is fine!) but our driver took the backroads to avoid paying the toll. The toll road is a new, sleek highway. The backroads go through all the little villages on a road that is plagued with potholes and speedbumps. Neither of us usually get carsick but were both green by the time we arrived.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide at Chichen Itza was hugely knowledgeable. He wasn't friendly, but he really knew his stuff which allowed us to appreciate so much more this incredible site.
Transport
Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Mexico City

Teotihuacan is definitely worth visiting! And cycling was the best way to see as much as we could in one day. Unfortunately our guide was not very good. He didn't seem to know much about the site and constantly contradicted himself. It felt a bit like he was making it all up as he went along. He was not very friendly and didn't give much information about what was going on or where we were going or what was going to happen.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Day trip to Tequila and Tlaquepaque - Custom experience for Amy and Sam
Day trip to Tequila and Tlaquepaque - Custom experience for Amy and Sam
Guadalajara

This experience was subcontracted through a local company called Sensaciones Turisticas. Our guide, Ada, was fantastic! We loved the horseback riding through the agave fields!! It would have been nice to visit the actual town of Tequila. We started with a visit to the distillery Cofradia. It was very cool to see the process of how tequila is made! Unfortunately our guide for the visit didn't know very much about the process and wasn't able to answer any of our questions. I was still very cool to see the distillery! We then did a tequila tasting followed by a very tasty lunch. After that we left the tequila area and went to Tlaquepaque, an artist town just outside of Guadalajara. It was very cool! But I wish this had been two separate days. One of the main reasons we chose to go to Mexico on our honeymoon was to learn more about tequila. This was front and center of all of our conversations with our travel planner. It would have been nice to spend the whole day in Tequila. The highlight of the day (tied with riding through the agave fields) was a surprise Mariachi serenade at dinner! It was so special. Thank you Ada!!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Forest Benefits Trail & Huautli Experience: Knowing Amaranth
Forest Benefits Trail & Huautli Experience: Knowing Amaranth
San Pablo Etla

This might have been a cool experience but Rutopia mismanaged it. We didn't get to do the forest benefits trail or hike. The "cooking class" was pretty disappointing. We didn't get to see amaranth growing or what the plant looks like. The hosts of the experience were very nice but this is really oversold.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The ultimate Taco Crawl of Mexico City By Garuda
The ultimate Taco Crawl of Mexico City By Garuda
Mexico City

We went to three different taco places throughout downtown Mexico City and tried 1-2 tacos at each. Drinks were not offered. The whole experience lasted about an hour and a half. The tacos were all fantastic and I doubt we would have found the places on our own! It would have been nice to learn a bit more about the different tacos and the history of the places.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Rene Rodarte
Rene
Rene Rodarte
Local specialist in Mexico city | Replied on Oct 17, 2024
Hi Amy,
We are so sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations.
Our goal at Rutopia is to provide authentic experiences through personalized and tailor-made trips so all of our trips are designed in collaboration with our clients to ensure that both hotels and experiences match what you are looking for in order to ensure the best possible experience.. We deeply regret that the Hotel in Oaxaca did not meet the expectations you had in mind as well as the setbacks of the...
Read more

Hi Amy,
We are so sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations.
Our goal at Rutopia is to provide authentic experiences through personalized and tailor-made trips so all of our trips are designed in collaboration with our clients to ensure that both hotels and experiences match what you are looking for in order to ensure the best possible experience.. We deeply regret that the Hotel in Oaxaca did not meet the expectations you had in mind as well as the setbacks of the activities, we will review these points with our suppliers to ensure that details such as tolls and punctuality of transfers are not repeated.
We understand how frustrating the situation may have been, and while we will manage the corresponding reimbursement, we recognize that we should have offered more support at the time.
Your feedback will help us improve, and we are committed to making the necessary adjustments so that situations like this do not happen again. We are deeply saddened that this experience did not reflect the level of service we aim to provide, especially at a time as special as your honeymoon.
If you would like to discuss the points you mention further, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We want to learn from what happened in order to provide a better experience in the future.

Very helpful and timely assistance.Amazing e...
Mexico | Aug 31 - Sep 9, 2024

Lynn
Lynn X.
Long Island City, NY | Reviewed on Oct 03, 2024
Very helpful and timely assistance.
Amazing experience!
Read more

Very helpful and timely assistance.
Amazing experience!

Activity Reviews
Chef's Table Experiencie
Chef's Table Experiencie
Mexico City

Def highlight of the trip

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Adventure in Tulum
Adventure in Tulum
Tulum

Epic

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore the archaeological site of Teotihuacan
Explore the archaeological site of Teotihuacan
Mexico City

Very cultural rich

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

Mexico City tours
Mexico | Aug 9 - Aug 15, 2024

Y
Yoon C.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Aug 25, 2024
We had a great experience with all our guides; they were knowledgeable and friendly. However, our food tour could have focused more on the food rather than the history. Despite this, the guides were excellent. It would have been more convenient to stay in Pueblo and Cholula instead of making the 2-3 hour drive back and forth in a day. Additionally, the transportation to and from the airport could have been better. While the pickup at the airport was pleasant, the ride back was a bit cramped... Read more

We had a great experience with all our guides; they were knowledgeable and friendly. However, our food tour could have focused more on the food rather than the history. Despite this, the guides were excellent.

It would have been more convenient to stay in Pueblo and Cholula instead of making the 2-3 hour drive back and forth in a day. Additionally, the transportation to and from the airport could have been better. While the pickup at the airport was pleasant, the ride back was a bit cramped with three passengers and three pieces of luggage in a Prius.

Overall, it was a good trip, but a few adjustments could have made it even better.

Hotel Review
Casa Decu
Mexico City

We arrived super early at 4 am. The hotel had the room we were going to stay in for the rest of our trip available, but they wouldn’t let us check in early without charging us for an entire night, even though the room was sitting empty and their early check-in policy starts at 8 am. This left a bad taste in our mouths. It took the front desk person an hour or so to get approval from her boss to let us into the room we were going to stay in. We were super annoyed because we were charged for an entire night and had to wait around for approval.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cleaning agents that were used to clean the room gave us headache. Needed to air out the room for hours.
Activity Reviews
Be amazed by the pre-hispanic beauty of the chinampas in Xochimilco
Be amazed by the pre-hispanic beauty of the chinampas in Xochimilco
Mexico City

Our guide made this trip enjoyable. Pamela was so knowledgeable!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
a bigger car
Walking tour of the historic center of Puebla
Walking tour of the historic center of Puebla
Puebla

Our guide Lupita was great!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover the Magical town of Cholula
Discover the Magical town of Cholula
Mexico

Lupita was great!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

Charmed and delighted
Mexico | Aug 10 - Aug 16, 2024

S
Sara P.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Aug 22, 2024
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and the ability to relax knowing that all details were taken care of and that we would be going to lovely hotels and have interesting and fun plans each day. Our local specialist came up with many ideas for our family and continued to work with us to perfect an itinerary, and the ongoing support was helpful for daily reminders and any necessary changes. Our local guides were outstanding. I travel extensively for work and really wanted my children to be able to... Read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and the ability to relax knowing that all details were taken care of and that we would be going to lovely hotels and have interesting and fun plans each day. Our local specialist came up with many ideas for our family and continued to work with us to perfect an itinerary, and the ongoing support was helpful for daily reminders and any necessary changes. Our local guides were outstanding. I travel extensively for work and really wanted my children to be able to have authentic and respectful cultural experiences for their first major international trip, and they did. We were charmed and delighted by the whole trip.

Local specialist: Rene Rodarte

Rene was very helpful and nice. After submitt...
Mexico | May 25 - Jun 7, 2024

Erica
Erica M.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jun 26, 2024

Rene was very helpful and nice. After submitting our quiz, Rene reached out to us with an introduction. That same day he created an overview of our itinerary. We were surprised by how quickly he put everything together. At the end, we came back satisfied with our trip. We will definitely be using Kimkim again.

Local specialist: Rene Rodarte