This is a joint review from Tim and Mary. T...
Argentina
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Nov 29 - Dec 14, 2022
This is a joint review from Tim and Mary.
This was our first time using KimKim for travel planning service and we were pleased with the ease of planning and collaboration with Natalia Canonico and the Buenos Aires-based agency Designer Trips Argentina. We worked together over several weeks and chat correspondence to develop a plan that suited our interests, time-frame and budget. Natalia was very open to our requests and questions, while also providing valuable insights on the elements of the trip.
First, our in-country travel services were excellent and we especially appreciated Sophie from Turismo Milodon reaching out to us while we were on the Chilean side of Patagonia.
We were equally thankful that Natalia continued to check in with us while we were in Argentina. She was especially helpful when Mary suffered the blow to her head in BA.
We were also completely satisfied with the drivers, all of whom were friendly and reliable.
Our experience at Hotel NOI Blend Colchagua was very nice and had a very friendly staff, particularly Esteban. We appreciated the rooms, the restaurant and the setting.
We loved Hotel Las Torres in Patagonia-Torres Del Paine National Park . The staff was very friendly and attentive and we appreciated the number of choices for day excursions as well as the quality of the meals. Three of our guides there stood out for their enthusiasm, knowledge and friendliness: Daniel, Valentina and Sebastian. Each of them were thoughtful and open to the sort of wide-ranging conversations that can occur on long hikes. They made our time with them especially enjoyable and memorable. We also liked the bar as a place to gather after our hikes.
Our favorite hotel was EOLO just outside of El Calafate. The staff there was notably well-trained, the food and wine were exemplary, and the vibe was especially relaxed. We found Lucy, our guide on a two or so hour horseback ride from the hotel, to be especially charming.
The Perito Moreno mini-trekking excursion and viewing of the glacier from the National Park was another highlight of the trip, and we were well-attended to by the driver and private guide.
Hostería El Puma in El Chalten was nice, but the highlight there was our day-long hike up to Laguna de los Tres with Nicolas, who, like Daniel, Valentina and Sebastian in Chile, shared his knowledge of the flora, fauna and mountain enthusiastically and was genuinely gracious. He also set the pace to match our capacity.
The El Casco Art Hotel in Bariloche was our second favorite hotel, to EOLO. Both were wonderfully designed and were very comfortable. The highlight of Bariloche was the Isla Victoria Trek and lunch, guided by Carolina. Carolina was charming, informed and we loved our conversations with her as we hiked around the Isla. But the most enchanting part of the day was the lunch prepared for us by Gustavo on the Piedras Blancas Beach. The view, the food and the weather made for a cinematic experience we’ll always remember.
Our hotel in BA, the Mine, was nice, albeit with small rooms common in large cities. We enjoyed strolling the streets of Palermo neighborhood, and had a delicious steak dinner at Lo de Jesus. The Mine Hotel staff, especially Claudio, were very helpful when Mary suffered her accident.
Overall, we were overjoyed with the trip and appreciate Kim-Kim and the agencies, guides, drivers and hotels assembled for us.
One final comment about Kim-Kim’s approach. We found it less than transparent as to pricing for components of the trip, which we find contrary to its fundamental attraction (on-line, message-based communications and service). You might consider our view as the ‘Uber-ization’ of services suggests that competitors of Kim-Kim that are more transparent as to pricing may garner more customers.
Best wishes,
Tim and Mary
Activity Reviews
Dear Tim and Mary,
Thank you for taking the time to review your trip!
I'm very happy to read that everything went well. It is always our goal to make our travelers take home the best memories of their vacations.
Love to read as well that all hotels and activities were up to your expectations.
All the best and happy holidays!
Natalia